The Joy of LOVE - What They Wear

~ Posted on Friday, February 4, 2011 at 5:33 PM ~

I have just signed up for this FREE (YES, I repeat FREE!) photography lessons where I will receive daily email prompts/photo assignments with some tutorial/instruction built into the daily email lesson. A nice way to post up something different everyday and learning new things at the same time!

Today's prompt is: "Photograph your loved one’s clothes (either on him or in the closet).  This can be when they are dressed up or dressed down." So here's my submission for the day:

Now what my 23 months old Benjamin is wearing is his usual singlet and shorts, the see-through fish net type of clothings which is comfortable and cooling (good ventilation). Ever since he was born, he's been wearing this type of clothes most of the time when he's in the house and I think he looks really nice in it (what with the sleeveless top showing his chunky muscled arms hehehe..) and in the forever hot country of Malaysia, I'd recommend this type of clothings to parents too!

We are expecting!

~ Posted on Wednesday, February 2, 2011 at 9:09 AM ~

(Image taken from Google search)

Yes, we are expecting our second child!

I'm going to be honest here as I believed I have never been this nervous and panicky the 1st time round. Maybe, because this time, we have Ben around and that I'm still breastfeeding him while being pregnant! Yes, I'm about to hit 23 months of breastfeeding in 2 days time.

Honestly speaking, I don't know anyone around me who breastfeed more than a year, let alone, one who STILL breastfeed while she is pregnant.

So all this is pretty scary to me as I can only sourced for information from the Internet and all those parenting and nursing mums groups on Facebook  (such as KellyMom.com, Code Name: Mama & The Leaky B@@b) and blogs around. Thank God for Facebook as I've managed to pose my concerns and get lots of feedbacks from mothers (thank you ladies!) who have successfully nursed through their pregnancies and I hope I'll be able to do so as well.

I've also ordered the "Adventures in Tandem Nursing: Breastfeeding During Pregnancy and Beyond" book from Amazon as it was highly recommended by lots of people, can't wait to receive it!

I mean, you guys who know me will know that I've always been saying that I will continue breastfeeding as long as Ben wants it and as long as I can still produce breastmilk for him, so being pregnant should hopefully not be an obstacle or an excuse to wean him off breastfeeding.

And while I'm at this topic, I'd just like to say to those people who have the idea that one MUST wean in order to try for their next child. Oh well, that is total crap. Please don't even believe that and deprive your child of your breastmilk. I don't, and I am glad I don't wean Ben just because of that. Do read up and research more if you want to find out the reasons for weaning during pregnancy (but NOT before!)

On the family side, my hubby has been very helpful and has been spending more time with Ben even though he's so tired with his work and all so that I could have some 'me' time and rest for a while. So yes, I'm very very thankful and grateful for his help. And you should've seen his excited look when I tested positive as he's happy that Ben is going to have someone to play with!

So anyway, that's all the updates from me for now. Just that I think I won't be blogging as frequent as I can as nowadays, I tend to rest when Ben takes his daytime naps and I go to bed by midnight nowadays (instead of 2 or 3 am previously), not to mention the early stages raging hormones which gives me mood swings and stuff. (But other than the rare occassions of mood swings, I am feeling pretty much OK, no other morning sickness).. But I will continue to update my Facebook page on daily basis. So you guys can keep in touch with me through my Facebook page as well.

(Image taken from Google search)

Please wish me luck and I really need all the support I can get in making my breastfeeding during pregnancy works! I've already heard the "How long are you going to breastfeed your toddler? You should stop already since you are pregnant now!" from the gynae we visited recently... sigh... so, yeah, I need all the positive support I can get to make this work! For now, I'm taking it one day at a time, as long as I can still breastfeed and there's no risk to the pregnancy, I'm going to go on as long as I can!

And of course, most important is, please pray that I have a smooth and safe pregnancy and delivery!

Thank you for reading this, for your support and prayers and all and God bless you!

DIY Chinese New Year Fish Craft

~ Posted on Wednesday, January 26, 2011 at 2:25 PM ~

In case you missed out, I have previously shared 2 tutorials on making your own DIY Chinese New Year Lantern (style 1 and style 2) as CNY is coming in a weeks time! So, here goes my tutorial on how to make your own fish craft:

What you need is: Red packets (or what we Chinese called 'Ang Pows')-quantity up to you, ensure it is square shape, stapler, scissors.

DIY Chinese New Year Fish Craft
Take 1 red packet which is exact square shape,
ensure the front is facing you, fold in half diagonally.
DIY Chinese New Year Fish Craft
Ensure the horizontal line is at the top. At the bottom
corner, cut about 1 inch, 45 degrees upwards.
DIY Chinese New Year Fish Craft
When you reached about 1 inch length, cut towards the
end of one of the horizontal edge.
DIY Chinese New Year Fish Craft
You will get something like the above.
Open up the folded red packet.
DIY Chinese New Year Fish Craft
With the folded line facing you vertically, cut the 'tail'
of the fish about 1.5 inch long.
DIY Chinese New Year Fish Craft
Take one side of the 'tail' and fold over to the other
side. Staple them together (where my thumb is)

The results? TADAAAAAAA!!!

If you're feeling more adventurous, you can string up the fishes with a string and hang it as a fish lantern. Or string each up and hang it on your Chinese orange tree. Else, you can just tape it to the wall like what I did. What I did was I just stick a double sided tape at the tail of the fish and they'll be good for wall or door decorations.

Hope you enjoy my simple tutorial!