43rd week Dearest Bb TK

28jun - 4jul'11

295 days' old, you pooed '7 dragonballs' at 805a; your voice is coarsed from singing?; Grandma came to visit you; did painting in infant care;
296 days' old, you pooed at 8a and drank 3.5oz at 625a;
297 days' old, you went to infant care w Marmy; Grandma came to visit you;
298 days' old, you are gg to Granddad's place to stay for weekend; pooed at 815a; a 17-yr-old 'jie jie' suddenly stopped in front of you and went 'WOO!' but you were so brave and not abit frightened by such childish act; choked while Grandmum fed you porridge till face turned red;
299 days' old, you stayed with Grannies for the night; poo 3x; pivot on the mat while in sitting position; upper left teeth shows at 5 days to 10m old;
300 days' old, you celebrated your first Youth Day;
301 days' old, you are gg for pneumo jab after your doc review; started to nap on the floor mat at infant care;

Don't miss this! Asian Civilisation Museum - Special Exhibition

Terracotta Warriors: The First Emperor and His Legacy
24 Jun 2011 - 16 Oct 2011
@ Special Exhibitions Gallery, ACM Empress Place


The terracotta army buried near the tomb of the First Emperor of China is perhaps the most important archaeological discovery of our time. Unearthed in 1974 outside Xi’an, the thousands of pottery soldiers and horses are striking works of art that tell us a great deal about early China.

This exhibition features one hundred artefacts from Shaanxi province in China. Besides terracotta figures, the display contains important bronzes and jades from the Qin state before the time of the First Emperor, Shi Huangdi. The Han dynasty inherited the legacy of unified China, and charming terracotta figures from this later period show how the First Emperor’s tomb influenced later burials.

The exhibition highlights new interpretations and poses questions about what we really know of the remarkable terracotta army. Recent excavations have revealed a variety of objects, including painted warriors, acrobats meant to entertain the emperor, chariots and life-like birds. Many of these will be presented in the exhibition.

This is the first exhibition of the actual terracotta warriors to be held in Singapore, as well as the first presentation in Southeast Asia.

TK's Dictionary

Observed Responses from TK:

1. "Wa Wa" means Wind, i like it.
2. "mum mum" means i want food or i want mama
3. "pa pa" means play time
4. "Ai ya!" means wow

A New Start Day 33 to 36 (TK PAPA LAM)

A week has passed and have been one of the most productive week so far. Though Dardy is down with flu today and resting at home (probably due to overwork & not resting enough -> immune down -> flu bugs infiltrate), on reflection have accomplished some major deliverables and achieve some initial milestones:
1. Secured some important domains.
2. Work cleared for the week and advanced work has started.
3. Agreement with XL is done and just need to negotiate.
4. Media interview is done.
5. Housework mostly done.
6. Bought new clothes.
7. Some plannings done and aligned to strategic goals.

Meanwhile, i am going to have a good rest so that i can better take care of TK and Big Baby. And study on the go for the exam next week. While, there are few more pending projects, rest is more important today for the long run. Tmr, then think of work when it comes... Today, i am going to cook dinner with lots of nutritious stuff for the family.

43rd week of motherhood

27jun - 3jul

- first day back to school for pupils in local Primary, Secondary and JCs schools
- had lunch w hubby before gg for work
- had to fetch TK from infant care as hubby have OT
-

- successfully reached infant care at 632p to fetch TK home for dinner prepared by hubby who's feeling better
- met a few kind souls on the way home who offered seat to me on the MRT, and pressed the 'Door Open' button for us to enter the lift when she's getting out etc
-

- after nite feeding of 2.5oz of milk at 3a (slept for less than 3h) after last fed at 1035p of 2oz, updated the blog and checked emails after packing partially TK's essentials for 'school'
- found a lump of crashed paper torn and tattered in a 7-year-old boy's school bag and anyone would mistake it for unwanted trash
- the child would take the question to be your statement, and believe that it's really trash he's keeping in the bag, and went to dump into the litter bin, so what's the use of getting worked up and angry in such a situation?
- when you really treasure and respect something, even if it doesn't cost you a cent, you'd keep the item in its best condition, file it up, keep it wrap in say ziplog bag
- afterall, it's just a job, and to keep your job, you've really got to work smart, not hard because the more you make comments or give feedback, the more problems you'd find and it'll mean more work
-

- it's only the first week of working after a short break and already i'm feeling like an old lady
- stayed awake doing laundry and some chores and hit the bed again at almost 6a
- only woke up when hubby is leaving for work
- would be meeting the infant care teacher to discuss TK's progress in a few days' time
-

- gg for Dharma class for the first time this semester w hubby
- gg to mums for this weekend
- had a dream that the bakery sold the leftover bread to a shop lady, and the lady charged us $1.80 instead of $1.60 at the bakery, and followed by another scene outside our house, where i wore a pair of slippers wrongly and i went 'oops! Sorry.' but was 'ticked' for that (very real as it happened before in real life)

- 'flooded' the kitchen and kitchen cabinet due to my carelessness and spent some time cleaning with hubby

- packed TK's bag for infant care before gg to bed as Bro D is taking us to infant care in the following morning
- had breakfast with Bro and lunch with hubby before coming home to check emails
- received an email about the Singapore Bodhisattva with Compassion and Wisdom - Teresa Hsu

POSB PAssion Run for Kids 2011

The Run is back! You can help the children by participating in the POSB PAssion Run for Kids 2011. The money raised will be channeled to the POSB PAssion Kids Fund to develop initiatives for children.
Details of Run Date: 18 September 2011, Sunday Time: 7am Venue: East Coast Park Types of Run: 800m Kids Run (5 - 8 years old); 1.2km Kids Run (9 - 12 years old); 4.5km Fun Run; 10km Adult Run

Have you heard about 'Beauty and The Sun Workshop' by Touche?

Tips on attending the Touche Workshop:

1. Punctuality. You have to arrive at least 15 minutes before the registration opens. Registration only opens for 15 minutes even if there're 100 participants attending the Workshop with only one 'Q'.

2. Refreshments. Come prepared with your own water and snacks (optional). The 3 hour workshop does not include any light refreshments.

3. Footwear. The organisers may allow non-participants to register on-the-spot and thus if you are at the end of the 'Q', you may not get a seat even if you've registered for the Workshop. Wear comfortable shoes as you may be asked to stand throughout the entire duration.

4. Stationery. Bring your own writing materials if you need to take some notes. You won't be given any handouts or notes.

5. Seats. Find a seat nearer to the front as the speakers may not use the microphone due to the many feedback from the sound system. You may not be able to hear properly if seated at the back.

Baby Expo is baack!

Baby ExpoDate : 1st - 3rd July 2011 (Fri-Sun)
Time : 11am - 9pm (Fri & Sat), 11am - 8pm (Sun)
Venue : Singapore Expo Hall 6A

How to Make a Nursing Cover in 4 simple steps

The things you need:

Old apron or old spaghetti top / dress w waist strap
Scissors
Two medium-sized buttons
Baby Blanket (100% cotton)
Needle and Thread
Step 1 - The top part of a nursing cover looks like an apron, so it comes in handy when you are trying to make a nursing cover. Use your scissors to cut off the apron strap.

Step 2 - Find a baby blanket that you are not planning on using. It should be wide enough to cover the baby and your chest and arms. A baby blanket made out of 100% cotton will be the right type of blanket to use because it will keep your baby cool in warmer weather.

Step 3 - Place the blanket on a flat surface and sew the two buttons in to the middle of the blanket about eight inches apart from each other. Cut a small slit on each end of the apron strap that is large enough for the buttons.

Step 4 - Attach the strap to blanket and out it on just like you would an apron. Enjoy nursing your baby in public without having to hold up a blanket! Have fun.

TK's adventure at the Singapore Zoo at 9m 1w old

We set off at about 11 o'clock in the morning for the Zoo 新加坡动物园 for the first time.

Marmy took the information researched online earlier
(Dardy printed out) and
we planned out our itinerary and decided which show we can possibly catch
(Marmy hoped to catch 1130a show)

as we set off in the MRT with Grandma.

Went to AMK bus-interchange and boarded bus 138.

It was very crowded
and there were 4 baby strollers including ours.

We met an Indonesian family visiting Singapore (flying back in the evening)

and we chatted
with the elderly grandmother towards the later half of the bus journey.
She's the only one
who can converse in Mandarin in the group.

We took a map at the entrance
 We saw a monkey-like creature up in the tree.

They are also known as Sea Cow 海牛.
They spend 6 to 8 hours a day grazing on aquatic plants and

eat 50-100kg of food

(5-10% of their body weight).

The upper lip is split to form 2 flexible lobes, which function as 'hands' to grasp water plants.

This is the Caribean Manatee, also known as the nail manatee.
They are classified as hoofed animals and are closely related to elephants.

 We looked for the Shaw Foundation Amphitheatre to watch the show
'Rainforest Fights Back' at 12.30pm.

The Orang Utans team up and fight for their home in this exciting presentation.

Dardy missed the remaining part of the show

when he went to the washroom.

Marmy carried TK when he woke up and was fortunate to see up-close

one of the monkey-like 'performers'
when it walked along the wooden fence from the top where
Marmy was standing
to where the audience was seated.

 Next, TK stared at the white tigers as one of them walked in the shallow waters.

 A tired TK posing here with a White Tiger.

Marmy posing with the hippo.
Hippos yawn to show off their teeth and threaten rivals.
But when a male yawns in the presence of a female, it's a sign of affection and as part of the courtship display.
So Marmy is definitely not a rival nor a subject of courtship.

 We saw an Iguana crossing the road before we saw the giraffes.
Marmy was the first to take a shoot of the little friend
before the other visitors struggled to follow suit
but the little friend quickly disappeared into the bush.

Marmy took a video of the giraffes and Grandma saw one of them peed.
Marmy took some time to locate the giraffe and found out to her pleasant surprise,
the giraffe took almost 5 minutes to finish its 'business'.

At the Australian Outback,
we walked to the feeding area around 430p and overheard that the Caucasian lady was the last person.
Subsequent visitors are only to pat the animals but no feeding allowed.

Kangaroos can hop for a long time.
The special tendons in their hind legs release more and more energy as they hop along.

 

Do you know?

When European explorers first saw kangaroos in Australia,

they asked an Aborigine what are they called.

He replied

'kangaroo' to mean

'I don't understand your question'.

The explorers took 'kangaroo' to mean the name of the animals.

We sat down briefly at the Ah Meng Kopi but no one served Dardy when he went to the counter.
We left shortly after.

 TK watching the African penguins in his baby stroller, better known as his 'Mercedes'.
African penguin is also known as
the jackass penguin because of its donkey-like braying call.

Can you spot the penguin eggs?
Do you know that
the African Penguin is one of the species to which the Agreement on the Conservation of African-Eurasian Migratory Waterbirds (AEWA) applies?
The African Penguin is listed in the Red Data Book as an endangered species.^[3]
In September 2010, the African Penguin was listed as endangered under the U.S.A Endangered Species Act.^[1]

 We saw the penguins

but Marmy felt there're more penguins at the Jurong Bird Park compared to the Zoo.

We went for lunch

at the fast food outlet outside the Zoo near the entrance.

Marmy feed TK and pee him in the washroom (no need to change the diapers).

We continued to look for the next show 'Elephants At Work & Play'
at Elephants of Asia.
This is a spectacular show of skills and humour with an after-show feeding session,
as the elephants gently pick up bananas from their hands.

We reached there just when the show ended
as we stopped on the way to see some of the animals.

Next we saw the skeleton of the flightless bird on the left and that of a flying bird on the right.
The breastbone of ratites is flat.
Without a keel for attachment, wing muscles cannot develop into huge muscle mass.
Thus they are small and not powerful enough for flight.

 

 

The lionesses and lions lying around.
We saw the Dwarf Hippo, the zebra..too
We even went to the main attractions too (Australian Outback and Cat Country).

Welcome to the Wild Animal Carousel!

The Rainforest KidzWorld Waterplay area was closed for cleaning.
Dardy's colleague only found out when they reached there in the morning and the Lil' ones were very disappointed.

We came to the Tropical Crops and spent some time looking at the crops.
Most of the crops were familiar to us and we wondered if anyone get to eat them.

More of the tropical crops will be featured in another post.

Dardy is showing Lil' TK the birds flying
in the sky
when we rested at the water fountain
in Honour of
Dr. Ong Swee Law
25 August 1919 - 4 February 1995

He conceived the Zoo in 1968 and
served as Executive Chairman from 1973 to 1995.
For his achievements,
he's rightfully known as the "Father of the Zoo".

We went to the Malayan Tapir before we headed for home.

We thought the baby tapirs look somewhat mouse-like but
we learnt that they look like black and white 'walking watermelons'.
They will lose their spots and stripes by about 5 months' old.

This is the adult tapir.
The upper lip and nose are fused to form the trunk.
The trunk acts as a finger
to grasp leaves and guide them into the mouth.

There's an Orang Asli Folklore..
The Malayan tapir was said to be a handsome animal
with black glossy coat.
He was strong and had an impressive horn.
However, he was vain and a bully.
One day, the bamboo rat and some mice drugged him,
cut off his horn, and filed down his sharp teeth.

They also painted part of his body white to brand him like a criminal.
When the tapir woke up, he felt disgraced and went into hiding.
This is how he got his black and white coloration,
became so shy and a vegetarian.

We didn't take the Tram which cost $5 (for adult) or
paid for any animal photography or feedings.
By the time we left the Zoo, we were all dead beat.
Dardy and Marmy both dozed off (Dardy was standing then) on the bus journey
and felt really refreshed after that.
Don't worry, there's Grandma who is carrying a sleepy TK in her arms.

Nonetheless, we had an enjoyable adventure at the Zoo.
Next adventure
should be back to the nature.

A New Start Day 23 to 32 (TK PAPA LAM)

Bb TK is recovering well a day after the op and a great relief for Papa Lam and seeing Mama Lam and Bb TK so happy makes Papa Lam a HAPPY MAN.

Papa missed Bao bei men so much..papa 'flew' over to see them after work yesterday.
They are the central pillar of strength for Papa Lam. Bao bei men, Papa will jia you!

42nd week of motherhood

20jun - 26jun

- videoed TK while he played on roll mat and he clapped loudly w arms stretched high in the air
- dad spotted a lizard in the kitchen which hid behind the refrigerator and set lizard trap to catch it but to no avail
- a M size lizard moved from the kitchen to the living room on the floor and almost entered our bedrooms, finally chose to enter parents' bedroom while we're watching TV
- i was told to get the 'jok gou' but my butter fingers toppled the water filter system and i was angry at myself when hubby arrived
- it was finally caught (and killed) with a loud 'thud' which frightened Lil' TK
-

- checked emails and updated the blog using bro's PC
- received an email last week on the Smart Child's Contest
- shared a cup of nutritious drink, had 4 sticks of wafer for lunch and didn't feel hungry till almost 2p
-

- attended a workshop on the PERI for P2 (to be carried out next year)
- went to the building opposite NOL at Alexandra Road for lunch
-

- went to ION Orchard and counted the glass panels along the pavement outside ION
- a total of 24 panels and only 7 are parallel to Orchard Road
- learnt about the history of ION infrastructure and it's nutmeg & mace sculpture
-

- checked emails and updated blog while waiting for hubby to finish his work nearby my office
- printed a document and found out that the printer 'paper jam' (common problem and couldn't fix it)
- rushed to send print to another printer at the other end of the big office
-
- rushed my way from more than 2 hour shopping for hubby's essentials ('dumped' them at MRT and arrived slightly late for workshop) and when I asked politely 'excuse me' on the up-riding escalator, a Middle age gentleman looked at me and at the space left on his right without moving an inch (expecting me to squeeze through)
- then a few steps away, again an elderly gentleman standing on the right side and a lady beside him
- again she looked at me and pretended she didn't understand me when i asked, 'excuse me'
- i 'walked through' what was left between her handbag and the elderly man as I was rushing for time
- did she not move abit as she felt she's standing on the RIGHT SIDE of the escalator?
- all she have to do is to move a step more and i can squeeze easily upwards
- i stood for the entire 3 hour workshop as there's no seats left after i've confirmed my registration with email and phone confirmation made to me prior to the workshop (only opened to 100 participants)

- went Sunday banking w hubby and TK in stroller
- Ma came to visit w Lil' Aunt n played w TK while i do take my shower and make his milk

42nd week Dearest Bb TK

21jun - 27jun'11

288 days' old, you turn 9m 2w old today; poo at 745a in your diapers after pooing in the toilet for many days;
289 days' old, you stay home w Grannies while Marmy went for course;
290 days' old, you play with Grannies while Marmy went for work;
291 days' old, you are gg home w Dardy after dinner; Marmy colleague is helpful to give us the website for bulk purchase of milk powder and diapers;
292 days' old, you didn't meet are meeting your Lil' cousins at Lil' Grandaunt's if all goes well as Dardy and Marmy are feeling abit tired; you crawled forward on the mattress from sitting postition to reach for your toy;
293 days' old, you
294 days' old, you are returning to infant care; Marmy fetched you home after 'school' as Dardy OT;

A New Start Day 20 to 22 (TK PAPA LAM)

TK had a Op yesterday and is on the way to recovery. Jia You Bao Bei! And today, Dardy is starting on a massive systematic approach to the planned tasks.

Perhaps it's not end of the world if u have taken a video upside down

There are many ways to flip or rotate a video. Here's one how to rotate a video using movie maker or VLC:

Tips for Ordering Tze Char at Coffeshop

1. Ratio. Order dishes with 2-for-3 ratio (2 dishes for 3 person). For example, for a family of 4-5 adults, you may order a total of 3 dishes. 

NEVER order 4 dishes to minimize food wastage when 2 out of the 4 adults are senior citizens or over 50 years old and all are small-eaters.

2. Size. The dishes come in Small, Medium and Large. Mention your preferred choice and remember to emphasize. For example, order all 3 Small dishes for a family of 4 adults.

Below are poor estimation and vice examples:

Scenario A: A stall at Blk 9* Lor 4 Toa Payoh will serve 4 Medium dishes for 5 adults by default
(2 Senior Citizens + 2 Females + 1 Male and all have small appetite)

Result: 1 dish veg luo han chai was left untouched.
Costs $44.50 but we were overcharged by $2 by the lady M**.

Scenario B: A stall at Blk 9* Lor 4 Toa Payoh will serve 9 dishes for 6 adults (all above 50 years old)

Many dishes unfinished and 3 selected dishes were packed for take-away.

3. Preference. Always remember to remind the person taking your order if you've any special preferences such as 2LNM (Less Salt. Less Oil. No MSG. More Greens).

*Advice provided by the Tow-kay of the Tze Char Stall in another post.

A New Start Day 19 (TK PAPA LAM)

Took family out to the Singapore Zoo for the first time. It feels great to be out in the Rainforests and connect with the nature. Looking at the animals and enjoying quality family time means alot to me ever since I entered fatherhood.

I'm looking forward to our next trip..jogging.

41st week Dearest Bb TK

14jun - 20jun'11

281 days' old, you went to the Zoo w Grannies, Dardy and Marmy for the first time; napped for 2.75h;
282 days' old, you went to City Square Mall and Novena Square for the first time; poo at 815a; napped for 1.92h;
283 days' old, you went for surgery at KKH; youngest patient there at the Surgery Center; poo at 527p; napped for 2.92h;
284 days' old, you took painkillers 6 hourly for another day; seem not in pain anymore; poo at 320p; napped for 3.84h;
285 days' old, your Grandma & Dardy visited you and left after dinner; poo at 925p; napped for 2.84h;
286 days' old, you celebrated Dardy's Day; poo at 735a; napped for 2.75h; Grandaunt came to visit Granddad and you 'meh jooi' when Gu Po carried you; 'talked' alot these days and shouted loudly occasionally
287 days' old, you stood up on Grandparents' laps when they carried you; clapped hands loudly for the first time while Marmy videoed you; poo at 145p; napped for 2.58h;

A New Start Day 13 to 18 (TK PAPA LAM)

Dearest bb TK, the last few days have been quite a learning journey for Dardy, as Dardy Juggled between House Care, Work & Biz, not forgetting to take care of everything that are necessary. It has been stressful for Marmy and Dardy during this period of time when influenced by external factors that are unpredictable.

What's predictable, are still on course and a big relief for all of us. With very little precious time left, we treasure every moment together. Time used can never be recovered.

Jia You, TK Lam! Sorry if Dardy and Marmy scare you sometimes with our loud voices. You are special and a very brave boy indeed. Thank you for coming into our lives and giving Dardy a total new perspective in life:

"To give compassion unto oneself in order to give others; for you cannot give to others if you don't have it".

kidsREAD@LAA

Saturdays, 4.00 - 5.00pm (commencing on 2 Jul 2011)

Children are encouraged to stay throughout the reading programme.

This programme is available only to children with household incomes below $3500.

To sign up, please contact LAA at 6513 3013 or enquiries@toph.com.sg

 

41st week of motherhood

13jun - 19jun

- went for post-AVM check-up w hubby while mum ma bbsat TK
- have to finalise the itinerary for tomorrow's trip
- searched online for info and it's done by 230p (thanks to ma who bbsat tk while i worked on the computer in between preparing for dinner, warming up the food for lunch, making milk for TK, updating my blogs and checking emails)
- leaving after ma bathed TK
- took the free shuttle bus to the hospital and took a ride to City Square Mall - City Square Mall - Singapore's First Eco-Mall
- dozed off during the short journey and the elderly lady sitting beside me woke me up
- hubby treated me to beancurd and soya drink while waiting at the pharmacy (took 1 mth of med instead of 3m as I'd be gg for next med appt w doc)
- made first part of dinner and hubby finished the rest to whip up yummy dinner
- pa came to join us and he too enjoyed the dinner
- pa took TK for a stroll and as usual TK look left look right and seemed curious and excited at everything
- hubby applied the lotion to my back for muscle pain relief and it felt so wonderful (both the effectiveness of lotion and wonders of the touch of the index fingertip)
- successfully pee TK in the toilet for 3 times in total

- gg to the Zoological Gardens for the first time w family (had been there several years ago for work purpose)
- stayed awake after TK's night feeding at 326a
- made veg dumplings w dow bok, dow gua, veg fishballs etc for 2 persons
- set off at ten minutes to 11 o'clock in the morning (50 minutes later than scheduled and 110 minutes later than ideal)
- TK first visit to the Zoo at 9m 1w old
- dozed off on the bus 138 on the way home (hubby too dozed off while standing)
- slept very well after a long day (reached home about 6p)
- successfully pee TK in the toilet for 3 times in total

Vast amount of carbon emissions sounds alarm bells

An article in MyPaper dated 7 June 2011 says..

CO2 is pouring into the earth's atmosphere

10 times faster today than it did during a dramatic event 56 million years ago

which raised the temperature by at least 5 deg C

Geologists say that the Paleocene-Eocene Thermal Maximim, or PETM, might have been a prehistoric dress rehearsal for a future climate-change event

that could be

more abrupt and more damaging.

UN scientists say that

the average global temperatures could climb 4 to 5 deg C by 2100 (in 89 years' time)

Quotable Quotes

When all you have is a hammer, everything looks like a nail.

~Psychologist Abraham Maslow

The MyPaper writer

quoted this in her article titled

'Good writing means more than just getting A's'

which says..

rote learning of stock answers and phrases is not always bad,

but it seems to be

the most convenient tool to turn to

when test scores

are the final arbiter of a student or teacher's value.

40th week of motherhood

6jun - 12jun

- today is Dragon Boat Festival and Dad warmed up the glutinous dumplings bro bought from Sheng Siong Supermarket
- mum said the non-veg dumplings ain't fully cooked
- napped at ard noon and felt refreshed after that
-

- went groceries shopping with mum after TK woke up from nap ard 430p
- mum spent $53.60 and made total savings of $4.78 in all
- still felt abit discomfort (suspect there's tummy wind)

- shouted loudly in my dream
- Dardy coming over after work for dinner (mum cooking Dardy's fav dumplings)
- suspected i sprained my right lower back while squatting down to lift TK and quickly slowed down
- applied muscle ache lotion and after mum learnt about it, applied 'goh iok'
- felt better after i re-applied the lotion and did some stretching exercises of the back
- feel the pain when bringing the knees to my forehead
- mum made corallines jelly (brown sugar flavour) for dessert
- 珊瑚藻含丰富的水溶性膳食纤维和胶原质 以及全方位珍贵的微量元素：钙、铁、镁、钾.等，尤其是钙质，是属于水溶性钙质，容易被人体吸收，而且含量特别多。且因其属红藻,较绿藻及褐藻含有更多的 高度不饱和脂肪酸,尤其多为EPA与DHA,可预防血管阻塞、降低血压及胆固醇含量。
- 根据台湾生物学家多年的研究发现，珊瑚中可抗肿瘤潜能的天然化合物，其大量的酵素，可帮助排除体内毒素，效果更胜一般健康食品。
- 日本营养权威川岛四朗博士极力推荐及发扬光大直到８８岁，还耳聪目明．外表体力依然年轻健壮，可佑珊瑚草是一种含有极高营养素的珍贵稀有海藻。

40th week Dearest Bb TK

7jun - 13jun'11

274 days' old, you turn 9m old; Uncle R bought you some organic fruit puree; you poo 1x and finished 32.25oz of milk on Day 21 of diarrhoea; went groceries shopping w Grandmum & Marmy and was hungry again when Marmy is still trying to find the raw sugar & green veg; Uncle D came over to visit you and you 'ergh' when Uncle asked you why you didn't call him; napped 4.75h;
275 days' old, you had abit of green & red bean soup; landed on the back of yo 'egghead' on the roll mat aft sitting for a while; finished 32.25oz of milk; napped 2.83h;
276 days' old, you poo at 735a after finishing 5.25oz; chatted w Aunt W on iphone; finished 17oz of milk and napped 2.5h by 515p;
277 days' old, you are gg shopping w Granddad & Grandmum b4 gg hm for the wknd on Day 24 of diarrhoea;
278 days' old, you are gg to Lil' Grandaunt's place to meet yo cou if can;
279 days' old, you
280 days' old, you are staying w Grandmum while Marmy went for check-up;

A New Start Day 11 & 12 (TK PAPA LAM)

1. In children, the three systems that are most commonly affected are digestion (spleen-stomach), lungs and the immune system.The digestive systems of infants are immature and delicate. They are easily injured by overeating or by food that is too cold or too rich (spicy, fatty or sugary). Cow's milk would be considered too rich and fatty, and often leads to food stagnation. Food retention caused by overfeeding is responsible for vomiting, colic, diarrhea, malnutrition and anorexia (poor appetite). In these cases, effective formulas include bao he wan. Occasionally, wind-cold can lead to food retention, and an effective formula is huo xiang zheng qi wan. In cases of constipation with fever in infants, saline enemas, purchased in drug stores, are quite effective.

2. Infants and toddlers are susceptible to exogenous pathogenic factors (wind, cold, dryness, heat, summer-heat and damp). Appropriate formulas for wind-cold and windheat can be used. The ones I use most frequently are xiao qing liong tang for wind-cold and yin qiao san for wind-heat.

3. If untreated or ignored, pathogenic factors will remain in the body. This can manifest in the lungs and sinus as phlegm, in which case formulas such as qing qi hua tan wan are effective. If the pathogens settle in the lymph or tonsils, one can combine xiao chai hu tang with pu ji xiao du yin. As far as boosting the immune system, I rely on either yu ping feng wan or astragalus vials (huang qi). This is especially effective during the pollen allergy season.

4. When to treat, when to refer: Treating children takes study, enthusiasm and some degree of confidence. Many parents are quick to jump to Western medicine, but the experienced practitioner knows when to treat and when to refer. Referring, in my opinion, means that the child requires hospitalization.

Conventional medicines for non-hospitalization illness in infants and children can be quite damaging. Many pediatricians rely on antibiotics and steroids for treating a majority of pediatric conditions, when herbal medicine or acupuncture offers effective and much safer alternatives. The TCM pediatrician should see themselves as an alternative to Western  pediatricians for the outpatient level of common problems. Hospitalization, when necessary, however, draws on the true power and knowledge of Western medicine in order to save life or limb.

* Above Extracted from Jake Paul Fratkin, OMD, L.Ac. Articles.

A New Start Day 10 (TK PAPA LAM)

Ok, here's the findings of TCM to help TK.

1. According to Jake Paul Fratkin,, Chinese herbal medicine is very effective for infants and small children, yet many acupuncture/TCM practitioners remain wary of treating children.

2. Children's qi and yang helps their recovery which helps in treating the root cause as contrast to western medicine.

3. "In the main, formulas used for children are the same as those used for adults. That is
to say, children do not require special formulas for common conditions. Determining the
correct syndrome differentiation is important. There are certain points one considers in
giving herbs to infants and toddlers. Avoid very strong herbs, such as herbs that are too
pungent, bitter, warming, cooling or moving. A gentler approach is usually successful.
Also, it is recommended that in acute conditions with infants and toddlers, one can
discontinue the treatment as soon as improvement is noticed. Momentum should take
the child to complete recovery," Jake Paul Fratkin

4. Dosing considerations: Dosing can be done by age. Whether giving powder, liquid or
pills, the Chinese texts make these recommendations:
Newborns: 1/6 adult dosage
Babies: 1/3 - 1/2 adult dosage
Young children (ages 2 to 5): 1/2 - 2/3 adult dosage
School children: same as adults

Take one-half to one teaspoon of powder.
Add a small amount of boiling water, enough to make a dark liquid that is not too
watery, thick or pasty. Filter through a metal mesh strainer. From this liquid, use a
pediatric syringe and give the following dose:
Infants: 1-2 ml/cc
1 to 2 years: 2-3 ml/cc
2 to 3 years: 3-4 ml/cc
3 to 5 years: 4-5 ml/cc
Over 5 years: 6 ml/cc or one tsp

5. Common clinical illnesses: For many practitioners, treatment of infants, toddlers and
children revolves around acute conditions. The most common conditions for infants are
colic, fever, cough and vomiting. As children get older, one treats common cold, fever,
cough, headache and stomach ache.

A New Start Day 9 (TK PAPA LAM)

Its weekend again. With weeks of continuous effort, TPY House is now clean and healthy. Ready for Tk and Baby to come back stay anytime. As Dardy is preparing for the many major deliverables for June, including the VCP exam, HK seminar presentation slides, clearing a lot of work, today Dardy come to worry that TK is still having flu and loose bowels when Dardy visited TK after a week of not seeing him.

Yes, TK bao bei, dont worry, Dardy will find the root cause of your illness and get you well soon by getting your health foundation rebuilt. By Tmr, Dardy will have gather all your symtoms, analyse them and come out with a solution. Hang on, my little and big bao bei.

A New Start Day 7 & 8 (TK PAPA LAM)

Completed last evening my list of topics to share for the Oct Hong Kong Seminar. Feels great! Baby came to visit me last evening to see if i am ok or have become a caveman. Haha...

Today, Dardy managed to clear up most of the tasks for work in office and make places tidy again to ready for a bigger challenge. Things are definitely looking brighter! Looking forward to go with Baby to SBF meeting tonight.

Toys and Games for ages 0-2 yrs

Welcome to the world of parenthood!

Besides getting the basic necessities for your NB, you may like to take some time

to think how to educate your little one

and 'Learn Through Play' is my favourite choice.

There are alot of toys out there and Kazoo Toys - Toys that play with Imagination is one of them.

I like the baby books and Stacking, Pounding and Sorting Toys.

Have fun!

A New Start Day 6 (TK PAPA LAM)

Today, Dardy started to re-focus on what's not urgent, but important! Profiling, Planning, Networks, 'Clock-building' with 'An End in Mind'.

Hmm...time to meditate too and reflect on Dardy's failures and successes.

A New Start Day 5 (TK PAPA LAM)

Today, Dardy re-initiated the daily to do task list which Dardy used to do. How could Dardy lost such a good practice for such long time! huh. Well, of cos, this time round, Dardy have gone totally paperless by putting to do tasks into notepad in my iphone on the way to the office.

Cool! It's proven to be a more productive, fulfilling and yet relaxing day as it gives Dardy a clear view of what have been completed for the day.