Toddler Meals (June 27 - July 03)

~ Posted on Sunday, July 3, 2011 at 10:49 PM ~

Pictures of meals are getting less since quite a number of the meals served to Ben have been featured in previous posts of toddler's meals. Continuing on with Ben's meals for June 27th to July 3rd...

27 June
Breakfast - Wantan noodle with pork wanton, a Vitagen
Lunch - Egg tart
Dinner - Lou shu fun, Konyaku jelly

28 June
Breakfast - Oats, grape, Vitagen
Lunch - 1 boiled egg, 1 slice of Cheddar cheese, Japanese tofu, some rice
Dinner - Some fried rice, Oats

28 June lunch: 1 boiled egg, 1 slice of Cheddar cheese, Japanese tofu, some rice

29 June
Breakfast - Pandan bread French toast
Lunch - Grapes, biscuits, yogurt, some rice, fried chicken skin
Tea - 1 slice of toasted pandan bread with choc peanut spread, 1 cup of diluted Ribena
Dinner - Rice with lotus root soup, lotus root, 1/3 hard boiled egg

30 June
Breakfast - Alphabet Pasta with cream sauce, a bottle of Vitagen
Lunch - some chicken rice, cream bun
Tea - 1 slice of pandan bread with choc peanut spread, yogurt
Dinner - sushi king (egg mayo, chawan mushi, wedges, fried chicken

30 June breakfast: Alphabet Pasta with cream sauce

01 - 02 July = Didn't jot down as away for family trip

03 July
Breakfast - Oat and cornflakes, a bottle of Vitagen
Lunch - chicken, rice, mushroom, Japanese tofu, diluted Chinese tea
Dinner - Cheese omelette, choc buns, cornflakes, a bottle of Vitagen

Book Review - Mealtime (Elizabeth Verdick)

~ Posted on Saturday, July 2, 2011 at 9:39 AM ~

(* Article first published as Book Review: Mealtime by Elizabeth Verdick, Illustrated by Marieka Heinlen on Blogcritics.)

I have the privilege of reviewing the latest book from the Toddler Tools™ Board Books series by Elizabeth Verdick (illustrated by Marieka Heinlen) and below is my review of the book...

Title: Mealtime
Author: Elizabeth Verdick

Illustrated by:
Marieka Heinlen
Publisher:  Free Spirit Publishing
ISBN: 978-1-57542-366-1
Board book, full-color: 24 pages
Dimension: 7" x 7"

Description from the product page:
"Mealtime—“Yummy-in-the-tummy time”—is an opportunity to teach young children two major personal and social skills: nutrition and table manners. This cheerful board book sets the stage to guide little ones toward healthy eating and positive mealtime routines—and to make time shared around the table pleasant for all. Simple but important mealtime routines come to life as the toddlers in this book remember to wash their hands, use a napkin and silverware, stay at the table, and eat healthy foods. Toddlers also learn the one big rule for mealtime: Always try one bite (“You just might like it!”).

Parents and caregivers want toddlers to develop healthy eating habits and table manners. With Verdick’s keen ability to speak directly to little ones and Heinlen’s delightful, appealing illustrations, Mealtime offers the perfect tool to engage little ones in a happy, healthy time at the table.

Part of the award-winning Toddler Tools™ series, Mealtime can be shared before (or even during) the desired “time,” or whenever toddlers need encouragement with social skills and daily routines and transitions."

I love all the books in the Toddler Tool series and I'm so glad to be able to review this latest book!

In case you don't know, since early this month, I've been blogging more about my toddler's meals, writing down and posting pictures of his meals whenever I can, as a way to discipline and motivate myself to be stricter in preparing his meals and to include more variety and nutritious stuff in his meals too.

So this book comes to me at the right time! Prior to this book, we have established some of our usual meal time routines for Ben.

With this book, I hope I can teach Ben to use a wet handkerchief (to wipe off the mess), and I'm very interested in trying to get him to try the one big rule for mealtime: Always try one bite (“You just might like it!”).

In my opinion, the Toddler Tools series are a good choice for parents to use with their children because of the positive message they bring!

You can get this book from Free Spirit Publishing, Amazon and many more.

I received no monetary compensation for this review, I was provided with a softcopy of the book by Free Spirit Publishing in order to facilitate my review. All opinions expressed in this post are my own. Please do your own research when purchasing products, as your opinions may differ from mine. And if you'd like to read my previous book reviews, you can do so by reading this post of mine called "My Book Reviews"

Cute Tops and other Essentials

~ Posted on Friday, July 1, 2011 at 9:47 AM ~

I am a  fan of comfortable and pretty looking tops. Call me boring but when I was still working, most of my casual tops that I own, I could also wear it during my casual, off the working days. In Malaysia, it's pretty much summer all year round and to be wearing a clothing which you feel comfortable in, I think that is what matters most.

Gorgeous Tuxedo top!
* Image from http://www.downeastbasics.com/tuxedotop.aspx

And now, as a pregnant mother (7 months now), our wardrobe styles are much more limited but that should not be a hindrance to us in being a stylish and yet looking comfortable as a preggy mum with modest clothing.

I mean, there are lots of comfortable, pretty looking and yet stylish and cute tops that a pregnant mum like me could wear! Just look at some of this tops (they may not be marketed for pregnant mums but hey, I think it'd look great on preggy me!):

Pretty camisole to die for!
* Image from http://www.downeastbasics.com/feelinfancycami.aspx
Gorgeous Rosette Tank
* Image from http://www.downeastbasics.com/rosettetank.aspx

Now the good thing about owning tops like this is you can mix and easily match it with your other clothings - skirts, pants, jeans and so on. I remember back in my working days, I would wear a cardigan or jacket over a camisole and still look professional in it. There were times when I would even wear a nice top over a sleeveless dress.

So what about you? What is your fashion style or tips you can share with me?

** Disclosure:  I am participating in a blogger campaign by Bucks2Blog and was compensated. All thoughts, opinions and words are 100 % my own.