My Baby Girl - 24th September 2007

Hey all.. my baby girl finally arrived to this world on 24th September, Monday, Mooncake festival eve. In time to carry lantern.

It was a painless labour - due to Epidural ! I only felt few very painful contraction before i decided to take the injection at very beginning stage. after the epidural which was done in less than 20 minutes at my back.. the subsequent contractions were felt as tummy muscle tightening only.. not extreme diarrhea pulling your muscles(actual contraction)..

But, pushing part, i was really lousy. No energy to push baby out. ended up, doc has to use forcep to assist the baby's delivery. i can only felt thing sliding out from below.. no pain at all.. the magic of epidural.. even the stiching done by doc.. he said 3 layer of skins were stitched. the outer layer was stitched 5-6 stitches.

My hubby watched the whole process. including the moment when baby was out..he said.. very bloody.. as the baby's shoulder was out rather in rush.. doc din even have time to do the cutting.. so.. imagine the tear i got there..blood was splatter on the wall .. as if horror movie..haaa.. and basically my buttock was soaked in a pool of blood. Luckily i din see all these.. else, i think i may be the one fainting !!

The moment i saw my baby, really hard to believe i can actually deliver a human being of 3.3kg that i have carried for so long in my tummy.. so so so amazing..feel so touching when think about it..i have given birth to a new life...her first cry will always in my memory...

After the whole labour..i was wheeled back to ward. The side effect of the epidural i felt was naseauness.. but i din vomit.. just felt like vomitting, and very light-headed. i almost faint when i stood up to sit on tne bed. But after lying for awhile, i felt better. and i dun have very weak limbs.. just felt numbness ..so different people have different reaction towards the epidural side effect. But, whole night i cannot sleep well due to the soreness on my back..

I opted for total breastfeeding during my stay in hospital. Beginning it was ok. But the soreness is getting on me.. hopefully i can continue after this.

i stayed for 1 night in hospital, as eveything is normal, i can pass urine on my own and the stitches wound is not very painful. I was given pain killer, vitamins.baby is doing fine. so, off we go.. go home .. bring baby to her home for the very first time !

The first night home was a nightmare as baby cannot differentiate morning and night..so my mum and i became panda the next morning as we have to attend to her basically the whole night long.. only manage to catch fewm minutes of sleeps in between.. fainted.

More updates when i have the time..:)

Another Day Waiting...

mm.. no sign le.. no contraction le..im getting impatient.. LGG said "Man gong chu xi huo" meaning slow work give fine work..shake head...

the doc dunno "chun" or not...if dilation 2cm how come now still no contraction...

now i become power puff mum-to-be.. cos apply lots of powder to stop the itchiness around tummy n legs..so torturing..

today will make the wholemeal bread...hope successful !

Pandan Ampang Red Bean Buns

Here's the recipe for the red bean buns

Ingredients:

Dry
Bread flour 250g
yeast 6g
salt 1/2 tsp
sugar 50g
milk powder (skim milk) 6g

Wet
water 110g <-- use cold water.
pandan juice 20g ( blender pandan leaves and sieve it, take the liquid only)
pandan paste few drops <-- i use pandan essense
egg 28g
shortening 35g <--palm oil, no trans fat , can replace with butter
butter (unsalted/salted) 6g

Filling
red bean paste <-- buy or make your own. i used my mum's home made.
round the red bean into 16g per ball.

Steps:
1. mix all the dry ingredients. well mix.
2. add in wet ingredients. control water input. if too much at one go will be very slimmy. i usually add in bit by bit till the dough is smooth and not too sticky.
3. Round the dough and let it ferment for 1 hour.
4. punch the dough to release the air trapped during fermentation.
5. divide the dough of abt 50g each. flatten the dough, wrap the red bean ball into the ball and let it rest for another 30- 45 minutes (put in warm place)
6. glaze the bun with egg & sprinkle sesame seeds on top.
7. ready to bake in oven at 190 deg for 12 minutes.

you'll get to eat hot steamy red bean bun after this...

After-bake-tots
my pandan paste is not strong enough.. the pandan aroma is enough lor..the bun itself is ok. The red bean paste have strong fridge smell, maybe keep in freezer for too long. But overall, for first try, it is considered succesfuly lah. More practises will make it nicer..

Non-Jaundice

In order to prevent jaundice in baby.. mum been asking me to drink coconut drink & goat's milk.

I've started goat's milk ( one glass per day ) since last wednesday. Today i have had my last glass le..

coconut, i've started since last week. 2 coconuts a week. this week, one per day.

So, we shall see if this works. If my baby still have jaundice (yellow) means all this is not right one lah..

Jaudice is caused by immature liver. and people believed it to be heaty that causes the yellow. coconut & goat's milk both cooling to counteract.

shall see if it works.

One More Waiting Day

mm.. bb still haven come out le.. dunno what is she doing inside..choosing the best time ? the waiting time is even more nerve wrecking than exam...cos u dunno when it is coming...so just wait and see..geessss..

Yesterday, mum & i went to ikea, we bought some more flowers.. heee..now my garden is building up.. bit by bit..and then we went to giant to grab few more stuff..

I managed to make the pandan bread with red bean paste filling yesterday. This was picked up from baking class but no chance to re-try at home. Mum prepared the red bean paste, so we managed to get almots 12 red bean pandan buns out.

Sis visited us with mooncakes yesterday, so i made 2 pizzas for her and gave her some of my pandan buns..

i still need to get one more baby bottle cos Jenny said the bottles i bought are too big for new born..yesterday bought some newborn clothes too cos Jen said she dun have enough clothes cos cant dry up in time ..so to play safe buy few more ..

today backache not so bad already but rashes is getting bad.. arm and both legs all red red dots.. like measle..funny..

i still need to go and get the float..always forget to buy when go shopping..

wait.. waiting.. waiting patiently...

backachee...*_*

Not sure is it my posture not right or is it the symptoms...my lower left back is killing me..especially after i sit for some time or i sleep..the moment i wake up..i cannot really stand properly cos the pain is so much...

but funny thing is after start walking for awhile, it feels better, not as bad.. weird. only one side is painful..dunno why also.. and the rashes on my tummy and feet also so so unbearable. itchy itchy..

anyway.. im working from home now.. so i can still do my own things.. while attending to emails.. heeee..doing some slides for my boss presentation now..yawn yawn

later will go shopping with mum to get some stuff..maybe go during lunch time.. cos entile to go lunch also mah.. but maybe 2 hours lunch la.. cos no one sees me.. lalallalala...

happy waiting for bb's arrival..

ComiNg SooooN

Yesterday check up is my last antenatal visit le.. doc said my dilation is now 2cm..and baby will be coming anytime. he estimated by this friday i will get contraction. if no, monday i will be going to labour ward and he will do a manual water bag breaking..

So, i will be delivering, the latest next monday, admission is scheduled at 730am. so early !!

when he told me this news.. i was soo confused and lost. cos so sudden, my due is in october.. how come so soon.. i applied my leave starting from next week some more.

My mum get to see the ultrasound yesterday but she said all dark dark.. only see bb's heartbeat.. haaa..

now still at office.. back feel so sour when walking..
tmw will work from home le..

finger cross, i'll be just fine...

Symptoms ?!?

mmm.. one of the symptoms of baby coming is that we will have water retention on my feet.. i started to find my feet getting swollen.. i think it's coming soon.. Jen experienced the same thing about 2-3 weeks before giving birth..

i'm waiting eagerly for my bb's arrival..

Yum Yum

HAven got the chance to post my bread bowl with mushroom creamy soup & marcaroni dinner last sunday..





LGG loves the bread bowl.. will make it again and let mum try.. she is coming today.. yipeee..can ask her cook curry chicken then eat with bread bowl.. perfect ! or i can try making the mushroom soups with the recipe given by Chef Judy..

I love marcaroni.. but LGG just find it so-so.. he dun really like spaghetti too.. only rice..shake head..

Last week, i went to Phoon Huat and made some purchase to add my baking gadget.. lalallaa... a cooling rack, a digital scale & a doghnut cutter..happy happy

My CominG WeEk-Ends

lalalalala.. for the first time in many many weeks.. finally i will have my whole one saturday freee.. free as in nothing scheduled.. no courses.. no meetings.. nothing..i will have the whole day to do whatever i want..

so what else.. i've been busy looking for recipes to make something this saturday.. heee.. i tot of baking pandan bun and chocolate chunks cookies for Jenny & her son.. as i plan to meet her this sunday or monday.. lalalal.

How i miss my free saturday...

NEw Life..

Jen's bb boy finally arrives to this world after much anticipating.. bb & mother both healthy. so touching.. cos we have been going trhough this together all these months.. she finally sees her bb..weigh 3.3kg.. c-sec. 11th Sept 2007.

This morning she called, she said since yesterday ops till now.. no pain yet.. she started breastfeeding le.. she said no pain too. bb very curious.. keep looking around.. she sent me bb's photo.. soo cuteee

now.. im waiting anxously for my bb to arrive to this world...wonder how will it feels..

BreaD Making MachinEs

I've been bio-ing the bread makeing machine for awhile now.. regretted that i din buy when the Kenwood breadmaker drop to $169.. now it is back to $202.. for weeks liao.. the price remained. even when courts is on offer still it remains at $202.. so siann..

I checked with neighbourhood shop, the model i want, they r selling at $180.. still higher than the last time offer price .. so im gonna wait wait wait...

the model and the price gotten from different electrical shops
1.Kenwood BM210 $202 - $169 <-- the best so far
2.Kenwood BM350 $233 <-- almost similar to Bm210 but can bake bigger loaf.
3.Morphy Richards 48268 /steel $159 <-- dunno wat brand
4.Severin BM3989 $188 <-- dunno wat brand
5.Severin BM3988 $168 <-- dunno wat brand


no other brands in S'pore shops.. as the demand is not high, i've called and check with other brand like phillips, panasonic.. blahh.. all said low demand so they stop selling in s'pore..

well.. it's exactly like what LGG said.. who would want to invest on a bread making machine since buying a bread is so cheap and convenient here.. mm.. but i like to eat my own baked bread.. healthier... no perservatives.. i can add anything i like..

so.. i still wanna get the bread making machine.. now, im using hand kneading.. small loaf is ok.. but it will be much more convenient if have machine to do the work.. heeee

Good NeWs

Jen sms me at 6 plus this morning that she is now warded.. 1st stage of labour. she actually scheduled for c-sec tomorrow but contraction came midnight so she may be going for natural with induce .. not sure yet now..

She said contraction made her lower body very painful..

now, we shall wait for her to go to second stage labour and she said when she is strong enough to sms, she will sms us..

we are more nervous than her.. haaa.. finger cross mother and baby both safe and healthy.. we pray for her..

Bread Making Lesson #4

last lesson already. today we learnt 4 types of bread- all heathly version

1. Wholemeal bread
2. French Walnut wholmeal country bread
3. Bagel
4. bread bowl

Very very healthy as most of them are lean bread meaning very less percentage of oil/butter or don't have at all.

Shall post the photos when free.. taken some..

French Walnut Wholemeal country Bread
i din get to try it, as i gave it to my mum-in-law ..will make it next round.




Bread bowl





Wholemeal bread & bagel

My Lunch

heee.. my successful pizza..

PiZzA MakiNg

Yesterday tried to make pizza .. first trial..the dough is still too sticky.. sob sob sob all the way.. the pizza (toppings) itself is ok.. but the base spoilt the whole thing.. i made one.. so we just had that as desert after dinner.

This morning, i made again.. mm.. it turns out bettre, the dough is just nice, not sticky and it rise very well.. i think i know what's the problem

(1) measurement of water level.. must be exact
(2) proofing time,the longer the better..

last night i proof abt 1 hour, it rise but not enough. this morning, i let it proof from 730am till 9 plus am.. it rise twice its original size.. perfect !! and the dough is very obedient when i shape it into two pizza base.. !! so happy.. almost cry !!!

so i made 2 small ones for my lunch.. and i made two bigger one, the dough first for tonight's dinner or desert.. heeee



Photos of my pizza dough

(1) Yesterday pizza- looks ok but the base is very sticky and soft.. not crispy


(2) dough rising

(a) beginning abt 730am


(b) after awhile.. about 830am


(c) double its original size at 9 plus


(3) shape into 2 pizza base. dough is very ov=bedient, means enough proofing

Mobile Phone Bill

I found that the service provider charged 3 sms as autoroaming sms on the date when i touched down in S'pore. I remembered clearly that i sent only 1 sms when im already far away from customs, the phone itself already refreclted as the s'pore service provider's service.

But the bill shown that i sent 3 auto_roaming sms at 4:53pm/4:53pm/4:54pm.

This is not the first time i noticed such charges which i never pay much attention cos i thought maybe i did send. Cos i can't recall. But for this particular day, the bill came quite near to the date when i sent the sms. so i remembered clearly. so i wrote in and complaint and inform them im not gonna pay for this.

Their reply:

Thank you for your email.

As a valued customer, we have waived the charges amounting to $x.xx.
The credit adjustment will be reflected in your forthcoming bill.

Investigation revealed that the registered mobile telephone user was
logged-on to the Malaysia network frequency, due to the stronger signals
received. Thus the calls made by the mobile telephone were reflected as
successful in Malaysia.

In the case of Autoroaming it is difficult to draw a line that separates
the local and overseas mobile networks because frequency does not follow
geographical boundaries. Spillover of neighbouring countries' mobile
signal is therefore not uncommon.

Once again, as a solution to allow you to have more security and control
over your calls, we would like to advise you to check on your network
location that appears on your mobile phone display panel before
answering your incoming or making outgoing calls.

XX is working closely with the relevant operators to reach
an understanding in terms of frequency and signal level coordination to
minimise the spillover as much as possible

We hope that we have clarified your query and thank you for your
continued support of our services


So, i have been a fool to pay for those bills that i found not right last time. I should have written in much earlier and they would have waived it for me ??

Updates from HomeTown

Bee Bee called me yesterday.. hoo.. recently been getting phone calls from friends that i have not met for a long time..

she said she is due in Nov. bb boy again. she said she will stop at two. I wonder if she will re-consider as no girl ?? heee..

She told me Evelyn who just got married in July pregnant already.. hoo.. good news indeed. so now left Ping, Pok no news yet.. they are trying i heard.

So, i will catch up with Bee bee they all during chinese new year.. plan to go back for 1 week.. muahahah and celebrate my birthday

Friend..

HL has been dissappearing for awhile.. dissappeared as in no news from her.. she used to call me very often when she is free during her freelance..

Seems like now she is doing pretty well with her assignment.. been travelling to countries for her work.

Yesterday, out of the blue.. she called me, i almost cant recognise her voice.. haaa.. well.. she called cos she wanna complaint abt her friend who did not extend her helpin hand when she most needed it...

well.. i guess, that's when you see how true friend a friend is. cos if they can only share good times and not bad times.. that is very testing..

She said she is not gonna befriend her..cos she said her friens just tell her " i cannot help, sorry" the sorry is said in a very sarcarstic manner.. HL just cannot take it.. and she said next time if her friend gonna ask her out to accompany her to do things, she will give back the same very sarcastic "sorry"..

haaa... dunno leh.. sometimes.. think back.. why always "remember" what your friend did to you.. that u r not happy with.. isn;t that making you tiring cos have to try to remember ?

this also remind me of myself.. i think maybe woman is more petty.. so we will just always keep in mind of things people did to us that we are not happy about. Should i be more generous in the sense to forget and forgive ?... i think time helps.. when time passes.. we will forgive.. as in forget.. we try...

life is so complicated but i learn as i grow.. grow older..

Bread Making Lesson #3

Saturday class, we made 4 types of bread. 1 swedish bread, 2 type of Italian bread & pizza.

We get to knead the pizza base using hand.
will post the photos when coursemate sent ut to me..

The italian bread used lots of herbs and olive oil.. not so used to the taste..

I will try making the pizza some time this week.. yum yum...

Bought a box of soursop snow skin mix with lotus seed mooncake at Creative culinary too.. first time trying soursop.. not bad. tot of buying durian snow skin but they ran out of stock..these are vegetarian mooncakes..not bad.