Birthday Cakes

I love my Black Forest cake.  My Mum would make one for me on my birthdays and Christmas dinner.  Very quickly, it has also become my signature dessert.  I continue to make this cake on my birthdays and my husbands' each year.

I am very proud to whip this out of my kitchen for my Mum's birthday this year.  I have updated my technique in my cake decorating skills, no more of those thick cream and shredded chocolate thickly whipped on the sides of the cake to hide the unevenness.  I think I could actually sell this... :)

Black Forest Cake Our old time childhood favorite cake. 
My Mum would always make me a Black Forest cake for my every birthday for as long as I can remember. 
This time, I made this for my Mum's birthday.
Much more modern, contemporary look than her original recipe, but I'm sure taste as great! :)

It is Ethan and Niel's 1st Birthday, so I must challenge myself to make something special for them.  I just want the humble sponge cake for them with very thin whipped cream spread just to cover the top of the cake.  Something I am happy for my boys to have without worrying about their sugar intake.

The theme of the party was Underwater, so what more appropriate cake than twin fishies?
These two cakes were made from one sponge cake recipe baked in a smaller but taller cake tin.  The cake was split in two for each boys.  Then each halves gets split again as I need 2 cake rounds to make the fish shape.  The results... cute twin fishes!

Ethan's 1st Birthday Party Cake
Out of a really tall 18cm wide sponge cake, I cut into 4 layers and made twin fishies cakes.
The finished product was only 2cm tall!

Niel's 1st Birthday party cake...

Happy Birthday, boys!

Ethan and Niel's 1st Birthday...

I can not believe how quick time flies.  Feels like it was just yesterday I was carrying my twins inside me, so heavy it was painful to move around.  Taking them out on the pram for the first time was one of the most exciting time, almost every other people we meet would stop by to greet us.  Being a Mum the first time around was exhilarating, but having produced two healthy beautiful babies and survived this far, there is certainly a smug feeling.  I am certainly very a proud Mum.

My Ethan and Niel has just turned One.  I have been looking forward to this day, to celebrate this very important milestone in their lives, and also mine. I have designed their Birthday Invites photo-card early to be printed and mailed out.   Decorated our home in Underwater theme with paper fish mobiles, and cellophane seaweed on the windows.  Fish nets made from perforated shower curtain drape from our ceiling with crepe seaweeds dangling.  I had fun organising it, and happy that my three boys enjoyed it as much as I do.
Happy birthday, Sweethearts!

Fearless helmet

Fearless

Perhaps it was once a childhood fantasy. At one stage or another one have dreamt of being a super hero, or in my case, being their beautiful fragile lover. We once dream of having something that gives us magical or superpowers and become invincible.

If anyone believes in lucky strike, I have seen it in action with the twins. I have never seen anyone get so out of luck.

If the two boys are racing under the table, Niel will be the one that bumps his head. If Malakai throws his toy across the room and hits a baby on the head, it’s got to be Niel’s head that got hit. If a baby jumps off the nappy changing table, it will be Niel that does it. Niel has fallen off the bed and nose landed on a toy truck that turns his nose bright red for a week by 8 months old. If his Dad accidentally bumps a baby’s head on the car’s door, it just happens to be Niel’s head. If by chance, someone’s elbow hit a baby, it’s Niel that got hit. Guess which baby is the one that manages to crawl into the kitchen and spill garbage on himself? If there are two babies in the uterus, guess which baby is breech and got his head stuck under Mum’s ribs?

Niel.

Nevertheless, Niel is fearless. Exciting things happens to those seeks adventure!
Now his helmet actually makes him even more fearless than ever.

No more hesitation when trying to reach for a toy under the table, Niel will now always win toy wrestling with big twin brother Ethan. If a space is too small for two, Niel would just jump in there, attacking everyone and everything with his protected head. Fearless. That is my Niel.

Cranial molding helmet

Sleeping with Helmet

It has been 3 days since Niel’s cranial-molding-helmet fitting done at the Children Hospital’s Orthotics. The first two days was simply an introductory period where the helmet just needs to be on for two hours and taken off for two hours throughout the day. That first two days went without any dramas. Niel goes about his day and does not seem to notice the new contraption his head.

I was excited, and searched around the internet trying to find ideas on how to “dress up” the helmet. I thought about spray painting it or just draw stars with a permanent marker, but I was worried if the paint would smear at the end and I would regret trying to decorate it. In the end, I think the safest option is to get stickers for it, when I find one.

Niel’s head was wet with sweat; the helmet really does keep the heat in. Niel doesn’t complain, but I feel terrible for wanting him to wear it, the presence of his sweat made it seems uncomfortable.

The Orthotist have advised to take layers of his jackets off during the day, and also reduce the layers of blanket at night when he has his helmet on. He also assured me that soon, Niel’s body will adjust to it and will stop excreting too much sweat from his head. I was wondering how that works, will I be able to fight the winter chills if I am wearing nothing on my body, but sports a massive polar-bear-fleece hat on my head? I am not convinced.

I am unsure on how long this adjustment period is, but based on other mothers’ experience, it may take a few weeks.

After two days of introductory period, the Orthotist examined the red spots on Niel’s scalp caused by the pressure from the helmet. As everything is as it should be, he then prescribed that the helmet is to be worn 23 hours a day.

I take his helmet off for about 10 minutes every hour, to air it out. It is usually soaking with sweat, but by the end of the day, the amount of sweat has greatly reduced. I was glad that perhaps, he’s adjusting really well.

When I put him down for his night time sleep, I have anticipated that we would need to take his helmet off later to wipe dry his head. True enough, two hours later, he woke up crying and I took his helmet off for a few minutes before putting it back on and patting him to sleep again. The helmet is big change to him, so letting him cry it out would be unfair. When he woke up again at midnight, I decided to just keep it off for the rest of the night. Few hours tonight have been an improvement. However, Niel has never been a good sleeper to start with; he would still wake several times even without his helmet. Nevertheless, I still feel bad for wanting him to wear the helmet and go through this.

I hope I am doing this in his best interest. When he goes to school later, his classmates will not tease him for his flat head. Perhaps he will thank me when he is older, because he can then choose any variety of hairstyles, because anything will look good on his nice round head then.

Flat Head

What did you say about my
Big Flat head?

My younger twin boy, Niel, was heads up during pregnancy. His head in the uterus was pressed against my ribs, and was born with a very wide head. I was advised that this will fix itself after time, if he rolls his head to the sides when he sleeps, but I must make sure that he turns equally, so it will not become lopsided as well.

At 4 months old, we noticed that his head shape got worse as his temples start to grow out, side ways, and the back of his head was completely flat. He doesn’t turn his head much when he sleeps, as his head got flatter, he enjoys sleeping on the flat spot more and more. My GP continue to assure us that it will fix itself when he starts rolling, so we waited another couple of months, also trying to keep him off the flat spot as much as we can by wedging and tilting his cot to one side. When he is 8 months old, we finally got an appointment at the Plagiocephaly clinic of the Royal Children Hospital, and Niel was prescribed with a helmet therapy.

I have done my homework and researched about the helmet to prepare myself. I saw photos of children wearing them, what results they got, how it fixed their heads, and so on. We did anticipate that there will be a tough adjustment period when he starts putting it on but we decided to will stick with it hoping we are doing what is best for him. Hopefully when he is older, and his friends at school are not teasing head shape, he will thank us for doing this.

The first appointment to the Orthotist was fun. Niel sat on my lap, both of us wearing a full body apron so we will not plaster cast on our clothes. Next, the Orthotist wrap a piece of clingwrap around the back of his head from ear to ear, and closed around his forehead. This will help to keep his hair clean from the plaster later. A piece of white stocking like material then placed on his head, a big hole was already cut out of it for his face. The Orthotist mark the stocking where Niel’s ears are and where he will want to put pressure points on, etc. Then, he wrapped the stocking with a long piece of gauge already soaked with plaster. After a few minutes the plaster set, and the mould was taken off. The Orthotist will use this negative mold to create a custom fit helmet for Niel.

The room where we did the casting was decorated with posters of cartoon characters and superheroes who have unusual shaped heads or helmets. It was clever and smart, and didn’t look bad at all. When I get to pick a colour and pattern, we settled for a plain light blue colour. I will be able to personalize it later myself (yeah, right!). As we leave the reception after making another appointment the next week, we were completely surprised that the helmet did not cost us a cent.

Online data entry business

Online Data Entry Business… is it for me?

I have learnt that there are numerous ways of making extra income online. People good with cameras can upload their photos and get paid when someone downloads it. There are businesses out of buying expired domains. An expert on any topic can write out an e-book and with any luck, sells it. One that interests me, is becoming an “online marketer” promoting various products and services of interest. I have also been researching on is about online data-entry business.

Data entry work will be involved in almost any aspect of any online businesses as you will need to promote your business. Despite advertisements that such business requires no skills or experiences, I find that previous experiences, if applied well, would add an edge to your business.

If you know your way around computers, and know a little bit of HTML, would definitely be an advantage. If you are very good with words and master the art of persuasion, would certainly benefit your business even more.

Yes, this is actually a business where you will be treated as an independent contractor. Your earnings are solely dependent on how much time and effort you put into it, and a little bit of luck.

Here are some ideas I learnt on where to earn extra income doing online data entry:

1. Commission Based Data Entry
There are also websites that advertises data entry that requires no experience and skills. The job requires members to copy and paste links and description into forms. Easy indeed! However, you are paid on commission on how many times people click on the URLs you submit, not the number of hours you put into the work. This job will also benefit from typing out all those “spam” emails and send them to people who signed up and agreed to receive them.

2. Selling Original Articles
More money can be made if you can type articles. This certainly can be classified as a legitimate job. If you are an expert in a certain field, any field at all, you can type articles about it to sell. There are web based companies that are willing to pay for original articles.

3. Profit from Advertising Placed on your Website
Another one that requires a bit more skill is creating a website offering a service of your interest, you will benefit from the advertising that is placed on your website.

4. Articles to Earn Commission
You can combine idea #1 with idea #3, by creating articles about certain topic and promote a product or services that would pay you commission if a purchase is made.

Is this for me? Is any of this going to make me “earn $6000 in one month”? I dont believe in getting rich overnight; but have plenty of reason to believe that it is possible to create a descent income, but as with any business, will need to put in extra time, effort, and commitment for this to work. Do I have such patience? I always want to be able to my results fast. After all, I am just an average girl who still enjoys kicking back watching DVDs on her free-time. Online Data Entry Business… is it for me?

Benefits of Pressure Cooking

Cooking Under Pressure

When I had Malakai (my first baby), my Mum gave me a pressure cooker as a gift. It was something I was quite familiar with, I’ve seen it sitting on Mum’s stove top many times before. Weird bulky pot, with knobs and buttons; and at times it will blow out so much steam like a dragon complete with hissing sounds. Yup, I am quite familiar with the “Presto”. At the very least, I know to use it to cook cheaper cuts of beef so that it will turn out tender and falling apart with a touch.

I used it once or twice, mainly just for cooking beef rendang or beef cuts for various soups. It is quite a handy contraption to have in the kitchen, but not a necessity. It just sits in the cupboard most of the time, until one day, I started to look into one-pot dishes recipes. Of course I would prefer to have 2 or 3 dishes on the table at any one time, but for convenience sake, a one-pot dish that includes meats and fresh vegetables, would be extremely ideal for our family.

One thing led to another, I start researching on croc-pots, and slow cookers, and finally… the pressure cooker. For the first time, I just learnt that the bulky-steam-spitting-pot, if used properly, can be used to cook crisp vegetables, fruit sauces, puddings, steam-bake cheesecakes, and even defrosting food! I could do all this, and also, a much healthier alternative to microwaves!

The super-heated steam which is produced by high temperatures inside a pressure cooker makes the food cook quickly and intensifies the natural flavors. This allows to use less salt, sugar,and use less costly herbs and seasonings and still get a better taste. Pressure cooking creates an airless environment that retains more nutrients than other cooking methods.

I am so excited. Finally, I discovered the power of the pressure cooker.

There and then, I have decided to start hunting recipes for pressure cooking. I will have the Presto sitting on my stove top at all times, using it at least 3 times a day. I shall begin my quest to be a Master of the Pressure Cooker…

Sibling Rivalry

I’ve decided to start writing a blog once a week to document our family’s journey. …ok, maybe once every 2 weeks… or at least once a month. I think it is important to keep track of one’s struggles and successes, it can be encouraging for ourselves to look back upon, and perhaps may encourage our family and friends who wish to know how we are doing.

BACK TO BABY…
Journal entry on Sibling Rivalry

This week, Ethan and Niel have turned 7 months. The two boys only take 10-15 minutes to finish a really big meal, which is a blessing. They actually cry and scream should the food doesn’t reach their mouth by the time they have swallowed the previous spoonful. Feeding both babies at the same time becomes a very difficult feat. I am forced to, by now, to be able to use both my right and left hand at the same time to feed both babies when they are sitting on their high chair, while singing and making funny noises to keep them on their seats.

Ahh.. but I wish it is only that simple. Malakai, now 2.5 years old wants his turn of being fed on the highchair too. He patiently waits his turn to be cajoled and sung to when he refuses to eat. During bath time, Malakai waits for his turn to use the baby bath seat. Something that he have grown out of since a year ago!

It seems that he has taken a step back in time, and wishes to become a baby once more like his brothers. Wishes that he can have the same attention we give to the little babies. Wishes to be praised when he can finish his meal, drink his milk, roll over, or crawl to grab a toy.

How I wish I can comfort him and make him feel secure. How I wish I can make him understand that he doesn’t need to be a baby again, for me to want to spend time with him, to make him smile and laugh. How I wish I can stop the sun from going down too quickly so I can have extra time to cuddle him and assure him that I love him. I wish he knew… I don’t want him to grow up thinking that his mother loves his baby brothers more than him. That is never true. I am a first born too. I understand.

Pregnancy: Avoiding extra pregnancy weight and Keeping in Shape

Pregnancy: Avoiding extra pregnancy weight and Keeping in Shape

Pregnancy is certainly one of the most exciting events, a beginning of a new journey in your life. You are just about to add another member to your family. If this is your first pregnancy, especially if it has been through a long wait, the excitement and exhilaration doubles. You probably have a lot of questions to what to expect during pregnancy stages, how your baby is growing and how your body is changing to accommodate your baby, what you should or shouldn’t eat, where to give birth, when you can find out about the baby’s gender, where will the baby sleep in, and the list goes on.

On the other hand, you may be nauseated and very tired. The focus is on the baby so much, it become very easy to overlook caring for your pregnant body. If you think about it, with all of the stretching and contorting going on in your pregnant body, you must learn how to manage your body properly as well as keep it strong and centered.

Post pregnancy weight and getting the pre-pregnancy figure will probably be least that worries you at this stage, but knowing what you can do to speed up getting your figure back will boost self confidence when you need it most after having your baby.

1. Smart food choice to feed your baby not your thighs
Eating healthy and safely is important no matter what stage of pregnancy you are at. During the early stage and the late stage of a pregnancy you may not be able to eat much at all, due to nausea at the early stage, and simply feeling bloated towards the end of the pregnancy. Every spoonful counts! Think about what you are eating, if it doesn’t benefit your baby, don’t eat it so you can fit in healthy nutritious choices that benefits your baby.

2. Pelvic Floor exercise
One of the most important exercises during pregnancy and birth recovery is the Kegels or pelvic floor exercise. Strong pelvic floor muscles will ease the delivery process and prevent incontinence.

3. Strengthen your core muscles
Exercise to strengthening abdomen muscles will speed getting back into shape after delivery. Towards the end of your pregnancy, your posture may change as you to tilt back to balance the baby’s weight on your front. Simple exercise can strengthen your back muscles, will prevent back pains and improve your posture.

By keeping these simple things in mind while you are pregnant, you can be confident that your body will be in optimal shape during delivery and quick recovery is will be expected.

When I was pregnant with Malakai, I gained 25kg during pregnancy. Malakai was born 3.4kg, and it took me 12 months to get back to my pre-pregnancy weight. With the twins, I watched my diet more closely than ever because I fear that they may not get enough nutrition should I eat too much "junk". I also gained 25kg during the pregnancy (but with 2 babies), the babies were born at a healthy weight of 2.8kg each, and I got back to my pre-pregnancy weight within 6 months.


More resources:
Pregnancy without Pounds by Michelle Moss. Discover how to avoid gaining extra pregnancy weight and learn what foods you and your baby need for optimal health.

What to Expect When You're Expecting: 4th Edition

Pregnancy: Avoiding extra pregnancy weight and Keeping in Shape

Parenting: Talking to Toddler: Dealing with Terrible Twos

ADVETORIAL
Talking to Toddlers:
Dealing with Terrible Twos and Beyond

After kids get to about the age of 2, they learn how to talk and express themselves more. They now realize that they are an individual who does have the power to resist. They test your boundaries by fighting with you over simple things. It’s easy to feel helpless, guilty and stressed out. Where did things go wrong? We certainly love our kids, but they did not come with instruction manuals.

The worst part is that the stress from parenting will affect your marriage. Until you get control of this, your relationship will suffer. Fighting about the kids is the #2 thing that couples argue about.

Chris Thompson is a husband and a father of two. He is an everyday Dad, except that over the last 15 years has become an expert in language strategies to get people to agree to do things. He uses “neuro-lingustic programming” (NLP) which is use words to make people feel differently about thing, or to persuade them. Chris will show you how to apply these tools directly to parenting problems. In his audio course, you will learn exactly how to use words to prevent tantrums, and get your kid to do what you want.

For more information from the father who teaches parents how to reduce parenting stress, please CLICK HERE: Talking to Toddlers: Dealing with Terrible Twos and Beyond.

Work from Home Data Entry Job

Work at Home: Global Data Entry

I came across an interesting paypal approved website that offers information on how to start a data entry business.

My-Data-Team offers their members step-by-step information and guide on how to start a data-entry business which can be done at any pace in the comfort of their own homes. The main business idea is to promote a list of online-businesses by submitting URLs to search directories and classifieds, and be paid commissions should others purchase the product. There are thousands of such web-based companies that needs exposure to more traffic and earn better search engine rankings.

Members of My-Data-Team are shown where and how to search for such companies, tutorials, where to promote them, and given guidance and software to assist with the promotion.

As you are considered an independent contractor, no taxes will be deducted from your payments. You will also be shown how to setup pay accounts that track your earnings.

Most of these online companies will pay you via PayPal. For more information, visit their website directly: My-Data-Team.com: Work from Home Data Entry Jobs.

Good luck!

I remembered when my first baby was 10 months old, I was extremely proud and happy being a mother, that I decided to resign from my paid job in anticipation of a planned second pregnancy.

I was elated finding that I was pregnant again not long after, and my second baby will be due before my son’s 2nd birthday, an age gap I consider ideal. They would be able to grow together really close, share a wardrobe, and being the best of friends. At the 20 weeks ultrasound scan, I was in complete surprise to find that I was expecting twins.

As a mother of 3 beautiful boys, I have been happy and contented resigning from my paid employment to staying at home to look after them while my husband goes to work full-time.
Living on a single income with a mortgage has been extremely tight, but doable. For the past two and a half years, I have collected all sorts of tricks up my sleeves to save on household budget. Recycling, and using kitchen ingredients for cleaning. Buying all our snacks and juices in big containers and split them up into smaller, more appealing containers to our little boy. I have not bought any clothes for myself. Apart from gifts, my children wear hand-me-downs.


Having a fun day out on a budget is very tricky with a little toddler and twin babies. I have to always make sure to pack enough food, snacks, and beverages every time and get creative with the way they are presented in order to avoid extra spending.

During recession time like now, it is extra tough. There seems to always be an unbudgeted emergency expense that comes up now and then. Having the twins means that we have to upgrade our car to fit three car seats. Unbudgeted expense indeed! There are of course the less expensive ones, but nevertheless, still annoying. Our vacuum cleaner had just busted and it is considered an emergency in my household, as with 3 boys, I use it more than I use the microwave.

At this point, getting additional income is not a luxury anymore, but a necessity. We have almost depleted our savings account. For the past year I have been venturing into various working from home business. It seems like a great idea where I can still look after my kids, and do work in between changing nappies, vacuuming, and disciplining a toddler. None seems to work out as hoped, just yet… but in times like this, the pressure is on. Maybe, my luck is about to change…