【Iroko calls this--ANGRY SEAWEED OWL】

April 27, 2011 A quilt-cover-dried-in-2-hours day!!

Iroko found an Angry Owl this morning in YouTube. That movie clip saves a lot mummy's time and brain-power, hehe...

*happy lunch* includes:
stir--fried French bean with rice sprinkle + fried egg with mushroom & anchovies + watercress soup

Mummy made a Chinese sushi set lunch for Iroko by wrapping the rice and fried egg with seaweed. Oh ya, the "sushi", which served with some thousand island tastes sooooo GOOD!!! (^o^)v

童言童語：
之前有提到小妞最近超喜歡往高處爬，再往地上跳。今天，她又在媽咪的床上蹦蹦跳跳，結果要跳下床時，失去重心，跌了一小絞，敲到了手肘。眼淚快飆出來的小妞馬上看了媽咪一眼，但發現在一邊忙著家務的媽咪沒有察覺她跌到，就即刻往房外走，在外頭跟自己對話，“哎喲，koko可憐咯！”

其實媽咪把事情的經過都看在眼裡，只是假裝看不見，要不然那小妞一定撒嬌，當場大哭一場！

不消10秒，小妞又進到睡房，看見媽咪笑著問她“怎麼了”，她有點怕出糗，佷尷尬地笑笑不語，媽咪忍不住問，“koko fell from the bed, did you?” 小妞馬上回答，“Mummy PANDAI oo!!”

【Daddy, you missed this "ho liau" 。今日重頭戲：雪蓮果】

April 26, 2011 It's summer day!

雪蓮果（又稱“山雪蓮”，“神果”）就是這個樣子了！！像番薯吧 ;p

When mummy over-heard the auntie next to her (who was so excited and busy choosing this stuff) mentioning the name of this potato-like tuber--山雪蓮，mummy suddenly became so "kiasu" and grabbed one into her basket too (because she thought that this is the “天山雪蓮”(Saussurea/"Snow Lotus")-- the magical medicine that always been used in those martial art action movies to save lives of heros & heroins!)

After doing some research, then only mummy realised the tuber that she bought is YACON/雪蓮果, but NOT what she expected, aakkkaaaaa ;p

However, it's also a surprise!! Yacon is well-known as a kind of supernutritious root vegetable!! It can also be eaten raw as fruit!

It is crispy in texture and sweet in taste. Of course, Yacon is health beneficial!
For Iroko: 
Serves a pre-biotic that helps digestion, thus prevents constipation;
feeds human colon-friendly bacteria, thus improves immune system.
For mummy:
Serves as antioxidant that maintains healthy skin (*u*)V;
regulates blood sugar level & reduces hypertension;
protects liver & lowers the bad cholesterol!!

Seems like the soup becomes the "main course" of the *happy lunch*, hehe... So, we have 3 ducklings as the side dish!

Iroko misses her daddy, who's out for business for > 10days, BADLY....
plane plane, please don't take my daddy away :...(

The *happy lunch* includes:
mashed potatoe + grilled chicken breast + steamed Freach beans & carrot

童言童語：
那小妞除了STAR和STOP, 其他‘S’ 開頭的詞，她都沒有辦法把‘S’的音先念出來，總是把它留在後面 >,< 

比如: SPOON 就變成了POON-S; SLOW--> LOW-S; SQUARE--> QUARE-S

【Square "Li-Bugs" 。連 2 接 3】

April 25, 2011 Raining Cats & Dogs

Breakfast time:
Mummy, "Baby, what would you like for breakfast? Sandwich or cake?"
Iroko, "mmm, this, cake!"

After a few bites, she didn't seem having any interest in it. Mummy," So you want bread?" Iroko nodded her head. [Sigh... mummy thought that she could take a break today ;p]

Well, since mummy is not so satisfied with the ladybug breakfast yesterday. Let's have more square bugs!!

Mummy loves ladybugs too ;)

童言童語：
今天出去的途中，小妞問媽咪，“Mummy, remember, koko take aeroplane with Johan 哥哥, ISN'T IT?”
片刻，又問媽咪，"We go 阿禪(the boy of daddy's high-schoolmate), then go air-port bring daddy, ISN'T IT？”
看來，小妞開始掌握疑問句的用法咯！得逐漸讓她接觸更豐富的詞彙，語句和語法了。。。

【Orange Cake Loaf 。麵包》初體驗】

April 24,2011 Thunder Storm

This is the first ever experiment of trying out loaf!! Mummy has never tried baking bun/bread/loaf and thus not yet found the fun of making those bakings.

Looks and feels "rocky" from outside, but inside is tenderly soft! 

This is an exception! The photos of Orange Cake Loaf posted by a friend on FB are sooo tempting！Mummy has been keeping the recipe for quite some time without trying it! Because mummy doesn't have the so-called most essential ingredient of the recipe--MILK BUTTER! (milk or butter? What a funny name ;p) Until she learned from one of her favourite blog yesterday to prepare homemade milk butter! Mummy was so excited to get herself ready for this experiment!!

Not fatty, not oily as it needs only very little amount of corn oil,
no fasterning, no butter or margarine needed at all!
Less cholesterol--only 1 egg required!

Although without buttery smell, the loaf gives a refreshing taste. You feel slightly compact as you eat, it's soft though, because there is neither fasterning nor bread softerner inside. The only minus part is that some of the orange slices on the top taste somewhat bitter >,<

【LADIES' Day 。滿屋瓢蟲】

April 24, 2011 艷陽大雨天

Since Iroko has her ladybug wall lamp fixed in her room, she becomes so  attracted to the tiny insect!
Since she first saw a real ladybug at home, she is so much fond of this little creature!
Since she had the half-dead ladybug lying on her palm, she makes it her favourite!
Let's have our Ladies' (Bug) Day today before daddy comes home tomorrow!

Square is not too bad for ladybug huh!!

Iroko loves to call ladybug “LI-BUG”, mummy is wondering... WHY?? She should be able to pronounce LADY...

【Companionship】
Mummy wishes to be your companion whenever you need...

*happy lunch* includes:
vegetable rice + stir-fried chicken mince with mushroom & Japanese Press Tofu +
watercress soup

Mummy just found out that the combination of tofu and mushroom is so YUM!!

童言童語：
前天小妞玩得起勁連廁所也不上，竟憋尿憋到最後一刻，等到憋不住，奔向她的potty時，褲子還沒來得及脫下，就尿了出來 >,< 當然就馬上，“媽咪。。。”

媽咪當然也忍不住一邊幫她善後，一邊在那兒嘮叨幾句。回頭要為她穿褲子時，那小妞竟然雙手抱在胸前，低聲低語地說了句，“討厭”！！

討厭！！媽咪幹的好事！！要檢討了！！

【Easter Hares 。襄王有心，神女無夢】

April 22, 2011 Thunder thunder >@<

In fact mummy is not so sure if today is the Easter 2011 as it is not a holiday in Penisular Malaysia and it's never a celebration in Soong or Lim's family ;p

A friend posted something about Easter day on FB reminded mummy this colourful celebration in the West. Since Iroko knows the Easter bunny (learned from Hi-5), mummy made a pair of loving couple for her ;D

Iroko ordered noodle for her lunch.
So mummy prepared mi-sua soup as the *happy lunch*! 

 童言童語：
小妞從小就常常和媽咪一起洗澡。一直有注意媽咪的身體的她，開始會好奇地問媽咪一些有關隱秘的身體器官的問題。

上兩個星期，再等媽咪幫她穿衣服的時候，小妞要求媽咪給她穿內衣。媽咪就為她灌輸了一些性教育。

早幾天，小妞出其不意地告訴媽咪，“When koko grows up like mummy, got big nen nen, then can wear bra! Then mummy buys 'you' (herself) bra.”

【Angry Bird?? 。很sian鳥。。。】

April 19, 2011 Rain rain went away

It figures Iroko is truly in love with Angry Birds!! She ordered the triangle Angry Bird AGAIN for her lunch!! Sian ler... However, in order not to disappoint her and to show mummy's respect to her autonomy, mummy modified the features of the bird she requested ;p

The *happy lunch* includes:
Vegetable rice + radish soup

Iroko woke up quite "early" (8a.m.) this morning to send daddy, who is going to be apart with mummy & daughter for 11days, to airport. On the way heading to airport, she excitedly thought that daddy will bring her and mummy along to take aeroplane. Of course she cried as she realised the 2 ladies were left in the car. She then even rejected mummy's generous offer to bring her to the playground she loves the most!! What an oddness o,0

Instead of angry eye brows, mummy changed them to pitiful brows ;p

童言童語：
今早，女兒的爸跟小妞一起拍拖在白板上作畫。開始女兒用手指擦掉她塗鴉的線條。本來想糾正女兒，要她用板擦，但回頭一想，是他自己種出來的果，就繼續陪女兒玩。

正當爹地也不自覺用手擦白板時，就馬上被女兒抓個正著，“COME ON! DADDY USE DUSTER!!”

【WATCH OUT!! It's Not A Pretty Sight >.< 。慘不忍睹】

April 18, 2011 Dry clothes with the Sun smell ;)

Mummy saw this cute artwork in a magazine the other day. It's such an attractive stuff, ain't!! Mummy hardly adopts others' ideas, but this one is toooooo cute that must not be excluded in {ma-masak} collection!

The *happy lunch* includes:
Stir fried tomatoe egg + seaweed congee with scallop

Although the whole picture looks somewhat awful? horrible?? mummy took it as a chance to "educate the little one--she likes to climb up to dining table and jump to the kitchen work station (approx. 1 foot) >,< 

Mummy,"Baby, if you jump from the table you might fall, then break your head, bleed and even die like these eggs! So, don't jump, okay?"
Iroko,"Then ooo, ooo ooo cry!"

童言童語：
週末的上午送女兒去跳舞的路途上，媽咪告訴小妞媽咪不可以跟她一起進去舞蹈室，因為koko長大了，不需要媽咪陪，可以自己跟其他小朋友一起玩，練舞了。。。

當老師牽著她的手進去舞蹈室時，小妞開始扁著嘴，很勉強地擠出笑容回頭告訴媽咪，“NO WORRY, MUMMY STAYS OUTSIDE。”還沒來得及回神的媽咪，就听到小妞放聲哭了起來“mummy, mummy ar, 來 sayang！”>,<

結果那天，媽咪還是得陪她上課。。。

【Golden Giraffe 。長“金”鹿】

April 15, 2011 陰晴不定 Warm rainy day

Unless daddy is around, mummy spends most of her shopping time at playgrounds nowadays (to look after Iroko) ;s Normally she is the one who stays the longest at playground amongst kids (perhaps daddy/mummy pampers her so much??). She simply enjoys playing slide, swing... on her own without company. Of course she always welcomes and will be so much excited to see other kids join in!

As to spend her spare time more meaningfully, mummy searches ideas from the surroundings for Iroko's *happy meals* while waiting for the little one. Mummy found the mascot of Toys 'R' Us kinda cute, so listed it as back up plan for future use ;)

Daddy complained too much rice these few days and requested for noodles for dinner.
So mummy made today non-rice day!

The *happy lunch* includes: mashed potatoe & pumpkin + garden salad

童言童語：
那晚，忘了為什麼daddy把小妞的浴盆搬出來客廳，小妞看到就順手抓起她的娃娃玩家家酒。

“妳要不要沖涼涼？來。。。take off shirt。。。wash hair hair。。。要不要shower？You big girl already, like koko, don't use bath tub huh!”

那小妞把媽咪對她所過的話一字不漏地對她的娃娃阿布說一遍 >///<
結果當媽咪再度問她明天洗澡時要不要用花灑，她頓了一頓，還是搖搖頭說，“怕怕”。。。

【R.O.B.O.T 。不來電】

April 14, 2011 Sunny-Cloudy-Sunny-Cloudy-Sunny-Cloudy...

*happy lunch* includes:
Stir-fried "yau mak" + sweetcorn soup + fried "chye boh" (salted vegetable) egg

Mummy remembers the ROBOT belongs her generation looks like this one! It is cute, ain't? However, Iroko is not so impressed by this little creature ;-s The only things that she loves about the *happy lunch* are fish balls and sweetcorn >n<

童言童語：



那天的早餐，媽咪隨手把小妞的cocoa crunch插在她的草莓，她一看到就喊著，“deer！”（媽咪倒是覺得它像老鼠）。原本沒打算給那份早餐做記錄的媽咪，也頓時被吊起了癮，再“隨手”為那隻所謂的“鹿”弄對眼睛 ;) 但隨後媽咪不曉得為什麼就忘了把它上載到{媽-masak}。 今天在整理午餐的照片時，這只鹿終於又出現了，媽咪就打算順便把它一起上載。

當媽咪問小妞那是什麼東西，她猶豫了一下才含糊地答道，“cocoa crunch & strawberry” ^~^ 才事隔幾天，孩子竟然改變了她對事物的認知。。。

【Kaya Pao 。咖椰包】

April 12, 2011 Hello Sun ;D

Mummy just couldn't remember since when Iroko fell in love with kaya pao. Normally, if she took too much for her lunch, she'd eat less for dinner. Almost everytime, if that happened, she'd ask for KAYA PAO for her supper!

Famous pao from Seri Kembangan (in front of HongLeong Bank)

Daddy and mummy heard a lot of "kaya pao" for the past couple of days even though she had her regular lunches and dinners. She must be missing kaya pao badly *(/_\)*

Iroko re-arranged the "hat" and told mummy,
"Penguin APOM BALIK, apom balik!"
Do you think so??

 童言童語：
Iroko, “Mummy, what is that?” (pointing at the sky)
Mummy + a few seconds pause, "Clouds." (timidly answering)
Iroko, "不是，是DINOSOUR！"(correcting mummy's answer complacently)

小妞開始學習在言語上跟媽咪有“互動”了；開始嘗試用自己的觀點去判斷所接觸的環境，尋找對世界認識的答案+理解。更會對新事物產生興趣不斷地要躍躍欲試。這是孩子們在1.5至3歲成長期間建立自治力與學習獨立的階段。一旦沒能成功“跨欄”，孩子很可能就會變得疑心重重，質疑自己或別人，嚴重者更會覺得自己沒有存在的價值！！一些孩子/大人常常有自大狂妄的表現，純粹是要以否定別人來證明自己的價值。(Note: May refer to Erik-Erikson's Psychosocial Development for further understanding)

所以每一回媽咪“接招”時，都要特別的謹慎，也要格外地注意小妞的表情，情緒，更要誇大自己的表情來配合（在糾正/認同孩子的觀點時）。因為大人們的疏忽/一個無心的嘲笑/否定，都會摧毀孩子的心靈，影響他們日後的人格，行為偏差。。。

雖然有點吃力，但這不就是育兒給父母最大的回饋？培育孩子之際，又可讓自己成長 ;)

【Met the Waterloo 。全軍覆沒】

April 11, 2011 Blue weather greyish sky

The little Angry Bird fan requested for an <Angry Happy Lunch> AGAIN after taking her breakfast!! So we have our 3rd. Angry Bird @ {ma-masak} >,<

【Defeating Angry Birds 。殘兵敗將】
*happy lunch* includes:
garden salad + stir fried Eryngii Bunch mushroom & broccoli & sausage +
baked mushroom with cheese topping + English gourd soup

Will Angry Birds still be popular 10 years from now?

How would Iroko feel when she reads her growth diary 10 year from now?....

 It is such a meaaningful job to keep a record of growth, a review of learning, a narrative of our kid's childhood!
It is always wonderful to flash those sweet and sour memories that we share with our kid ;)
It's never be too late to do so for our kid!

童言童語：“What happened to koko?”
Iroko asked mummy when she peed on her potty without mummy's assistance;
when she "built" a house with Tangram puzzles;
when she was able to perform certain poses taught by her ballet instructor...

She simply wanted to practice the sentence mummy always says---what happens to you?!!

【ウルトラマン 。宇宙勇敢美少男】

April 08, 2011 A bright day for play ground

The two little best friends of Iroko--HanShen & Johan (her cousin) share a common interest--Ultraman! She must be wondering why do the two gogo (brothers) love that big eyes sexy man so much! No matter when and where they are, they surely have an Ultraman toy  in their hand >,< She must be thinking that carrying an Ultraman along is "COOL"!! That's why, when she got an 1' tall Ultraman from Han gogo (Johan), she was so glad and thankful ^u^ She hel and non-stop sayang (by kissing) the toy for hours!!



 HanShen has 2 big beautiful (always fully charged with high-voltage) eyes like Ultraman;
Johan has a very kind character and is always energetic like Ultraman!

Mummy wanted to make an Ultraman flying in the air.
But this one seems like fell from the sky and lying prone on the ground!! >,<

Iroko always gets confused the Han gogo and HanShen gogo. But mummy knows she is just puzzled over the word HAN of their names. She actually knows well whom and whom when she saw them ;)

【1 Little Indian Girl 。印地安姐姐】

April 06, 2011 It's an umbrella up day....

1 little 2 little 3 little Indians

4 little 5 little 6 little Indians

7 little 8 little 9 little Indians

10 little Indians girls ;)

Obviously, this is a failure ;-(
The frustrating part is that it took longer time than other *happy meals* to get done ;-(
But, the very comforting part is Iroko had very good appetite (^_^)v

童言童語：
媽咪不小心踢到Iroko手中的拖把，小妞就馬上看看媽咪有沒有受傷，急急地說“Sorry mummy. 痛痛嗎？/要不要搽藥藥？”
那小妞開始學會道歉，關心，照顧別人了 ;)

【Puppy~Love 。哈巴狗】

April 05, 2011 A day of the Sun

一隻哈巴狗 坐在大門口
眼睛黑油油 向我點點頭

Iroko was so excited playing with her new musical instrument (pasta in plastic container).
She was even curious when mummy told her those pieces in the container are edible. She then kept reminding mummy to cook her pasta.

Pasta with cheesy tomato sauce + hard boiled egg + broccoli
沒錯，灑在上面的確確實實是巧克力糖！！媽咪偶爾也會放縱一下那小妞 ;p

童言童語："Mummy, I made it!!" Iroko seems quite proud of the new phrase she learned in the past 2days. She really "fully utilised" it to show off her new "liguistic intelligence" >,<
She said it when she completed her jigsaw puzzles; when she fixed her toys; when she was able to climb onto table; even when she finished her water... (memang tak bleh tahan sama dia!!)

【Angry birdS (part 2) 。電子鳥『續集』】

April 04, 2011 Warmmmmm day

A few days back in Alor Setar made Iroko and mummy learned more about『Angry Birds』(and both us got addicted to the game >,< luckily we don't have either iPhone/iPad at home...). The little one requested mummy to make her Angry Birds while mummy was about to start preparing *happy lunch*!!

Of course mummy felt "honoured" to take the order ;D

What is the hottest e-game character now?? Of course we are!!

This is the second episode, so mummy decided to make those angry birds other than the RED one, which has already been "collected" in {ma-masak} archive.

The *happy lunch* was very simple--only mashed potatoe pumpkin + sausage. This (mashed potatoe) is always the top choice when mummy wants to prepare something that is not as heaty & heavy as rice.

童言童語：Iroko learned to bargain with mummy lately.
Iroko," Mummy buy crackers. OK lar..."
Mummy, "Okay once you finished your noodles mummy buy you crackers."
(A few seconds pause)
Iroko, "Mummy buy crackers, koko eat noodles!"
>,<  @  >,< @  >,< @  >,<  @  >,< @  >,< @  >,< .....