Happy 1 yr old baby Si!!!

So according to www.babycenter.com, my baby Si is no longer a BABY!!!...she's officially a TODDLER now that she just turned 1 on april 6th 2013!!!
HAPPY 1 YEAR OLD sienna chaw naga...does this mean I have to stop calling her baby Si??? No wayyyyy... I think I will keep referring to her as baby Si while I can still can get away with that (benchmark-maybe while she's still in diapers? Can right?)

What did we do for her birthday celebration?
Well after much deliberation and going back n forth. me n mr. Hubby decided we weren't gonna do a birthday party and decided instead to go on a trip!!! Secret destination will be revealed soon once pics have been transferred and uploaded by mr. Hubby...we just came bck so we are quite exhausted and busy getting back to reality!!! So stay tuned :)

But we did managed to sneak in a lil' family celebration with my family...
If u are wondering why po po isn't in the pics, well, she was busy having fun with her other grandchild zach ha min in Singapore!
Since mr. hubby had some time to come down to malaysia, we decided to celebrate with the grandparents and chiu chiu (uncle Jeffrey)! So we actually celebrated a month ahead of the actual date...so baby si was actually 11 mths in the pics...
Plus it was time for uncle Jeffrey to cook us dinner for the first time in his entire life in his new bachelor pad... He was so excited to cook for us (all these years of watching "license to grill" on food channel will be put to good use)! But when we arrived...guess what? Nobody came to greet us when we rang the doorbell... And we couldn't smell any grilling going on! What was going on...no red carpet, no VIP treatment? was it april fools day? We rang the bell 3 times and finally got an answer. Tot he was taking a shower...but Lo and behold, he greeted us from his balcony half asleep and half naked (shirtless!)... Geeshhhh, he overslept!!! (More like just woke up at 6pm!!!) bachelor life.....ishhhh!!!

Luckily his place is in the middle of food paradise... So chiu chiu quickly decided to go to Jakes steakhouse place! I guess we'll have to take a rain check on tasting chiu chiu's food...it's ok, more time for him to practice his "cooking skills"! I only remembered him making his famous cheesecake! But mind u, that didnt require any cooking...no bake cheesecake!!! It was yummy though....

I would also like to give myself a pat on the back as I have been breastfeeding and have reached the 1 yr milestone!!! *Yeayyy* And will continue to do so as long as I can ;)
my breastfeeding journey started off with a bumpy start and wasn't an easy rosy journey (takes a lot of sacrifice-sleep, determination, exhaustion, etc...) but its all well worth it :)
Hey, since I'm a stay at home mum now, that's the most precious sacrifice I can give to my child...
Nothing against formula milk babies...but if I can do it naturally, why not....
"Jia yu"... "GAMBATEH"..."kiasu"... "Malaysia boleh"!!!!

This was the shout out I made on "the breastfeeding advocates network" (TBAN) recently:

"I cant believe it, but I made it to 1 year of fully BF (minus the first 2 weeks)!!! Still can't believe it...
Thank u TBAN n mr. Hubby for all ur support, couldn't have done it without either...
Last year it took u 24 hrs to come out from mummy's tummy... But it was well worth it ;)
We r so blessed to have u, such a happy, healthy n contented baby.
We love love love u...
Planning to go on as much as I can... — with Karthik Naga."

P/s: (I would strongly encourage soon-to-be mothers and new mothers to join this group... Fathers are welcome to join too!!!)

Ok enuff of this long post, enjoy the pics as much as we enjoyed our lil' princess special day :)

More pics on mr. Hubby's Facebook...click on the links below:
Sienna's First Year Flashback
Sienna's first birthday!

Also a special thanks to Alex "baby Si Brunei fan" for wanting to give sienna a birthday present... Her first bikini!!! But sadly, baby Si's daddy didn't approve of the gift as he thought it was too skimpy for her lil' princess *daddys lil gal* *rolls eyes*...thanks again...the thought that counts!!!
Alex was so thoughtful as she knew baby Si didn't have a bathing suit from reading this post!
baby Si first swimming experience
Btw, she's also the person behind the infamous super sienna outfit!!!

We got baby Si Little Tikes spray n rescue fire truck!!!
Look how cute it is...
click here to watch a video
Baby Si will b an envy of the neighborhood kids!!! Can't wait for baby Si to "spray" the other kids!!! Muhahahaha *evil laugh*
I think mummy n daddy are more excited...maybe that's why we bought it...to re-live our childhood perhaps?
Note: it looks big for baby Si coz it says recommended age fr 18 mths up! But mummy n daddy couldn't resist and wait any longer...

Super Sienna flying off to Hollywood?

"Baby si: I want to meet Ryan Seacrest in person!!!"

Please vote for me as my mummy and daddy are BIG American idol fans!!!
And I wanna go visit my home country for the first time...and see where my mummy n daddy first dated...
But actually, I just wanna meet my idol...I have a secret crush on Ryan Seacrest!!!
Ssshhhh...plz don't tell my mummy n daddy...

p/s: only Singaporeans and PRs can vote as they need nric number...
So fellow Singaporeans, plz vote for me at the link below ;)
voting ends April 15th... Mucho gracias...Xoxo, baby Si!

vote click here

Chiang Mai, Thailand with gong gong...

Even before baby Si turns 1 yr old, she has been to Thailand 3 times (*click here* Krabi, Phuket and now chiang Mai)! Can u tell that baby Si just loves Thailand? Oh wait, more like this mummy loves loves loves Thailand! Almost went to Hatyai but baby Si fell sick for the first time (didnt wanna risk it as speaking from an ex crew experience, flying while having a flu is a big NO NO as it can cause ear damage or worst still, deafness). So we had to forgo Hatyai and only the grandparents went!

So when gong gong sprung up the idea of going to chiang Mai, this mummy just couldn't resist! Who wouldn't? Plus daddy was busy visiting the koalas and kangaroos in Sydney and the tulips in *click here* Amsterdam (*for work that is)... So why not??? Hahahhahaha...

Off we went! U must be wondering why po po didn't go as well....well, she was busy enjoying her time with her other grandchild, zach ha-min...

This was our first time visiting chiang Mai... Kinda weird destination as it wasn't a beach destination and neither was it a big city! But we just decided to go as gong gong heard its a big tourist spot but not sure why it was such a big hit....

To all mummies, be prepared as it isn't a stroller friendly place! (Unlike krabi and Phuket) I was not prepared as I left my baby carrier in Singapore... But we managed to just push through the uneven pavements and narrow busy roads with my trusty old 2nd hand stroller (which by the way is being overly used when we travel outside of Singapore).

But let's just say that there's nothing much to do in the city of chiang Mai itself... Many tourists would travel up north to the city of chiang rai as there's many sightseeing to do. The famous (wat rong khun) aka White Temple is worth a visit. But too bad we couldn't go as the travel journey was quite far by land for baby Si.

We decided to take the 1 day tour which by all means is well worth it. And it's baby friendly which is a BIG PLUS in this mummy's book. Paid 1000baht per person which includes:
. transport
. lunch buffet
. Elephant show and ride
One of my many "to do things" on my bucket list is to ride an elephant! Had many opportunities to do so (India, Phuket), but just didn't get to it... So happy that I finally got to check it off my list! But let me tell u, it will be my first n last time! Just like my bungy jumping experience (of coz bungy jumping is 100 times worse)... Let me tell u why, I've alwiz tot that people riding on elephants look so comfortable, serene, and calm! But it is NOT! So uncomfortable with the swaying that my butt hurt! The only person that enjoyed it was baby Si! So happy all throughout even under the HOT sun...I guess the extra cushion in her diapers is shock resistant!
The elephant show was really entertaining! They could play soccer, basketball, dance and even draw!!! (See pics)...baby Si got scared when the elephant came close to the audience! Gong gong had to sweep her away.
. Ox cart ride
Much much better than the elephant ride. And it had a shade! (See pics)
Along the ride, you can buy bananas and sugarcane to "reward" your ox and elephant.
. Bamboo rafting
Nice ride...but a bit too long in the heat of the afternoon sun! They should have put up a shade....doesn't cost that much does it? Well another option is we could have brought our umbrellas...oh well...
. Long neck village
Was looking forward to this the most... But was really disappointed when we found out from the tour guide that it wasn't an actual village! It's more like a show and tell kinda thing where a greedy business man paid a few long neck people to come n "stage and showcase" their way of living for all there eager tourists to see.
. Butterfly farm
Quite interesting as the butterflies would fly up close and personal... Baby Si got scared when a swamp of them came "attacking" her...
. Orchid farm
Really pretty, colorful, healthy looking orchids... Rows n rows of them!!!
Should have bought a few to beautify my apartment... But since we travel so much, I guess plants and puppies and all living things will just have to wait :( only cockroaches and lizards manage to survive...*yucks*

Ok this post is getting way to long...
So to cut the story short, lets just say other than that, as usual we visited the night n morning market (yummy food and shopping), massages almost every day (Thai massage 200baht and foot massage only 120baht <~ super duper cheap), Thai coffee n thai tea everyday and lots more...
One unique thing about chiang Mai city is that it had back alleys which is lined with small unique cafes, pubs, backpackers place, huts, guest houses, etc which are cute, quaint, nicely decorated, charming, pleasant. Gong gong said it reminds him of Japan alleys...

Gong gong managed to sneak in a Muay Thai boxing show while mummy n baby Si rested... Didnt think seeing sweaty wrestling adults and kids was worth it with baby Si! But gong gong enjoyed it...

Oh yeah, this will be the FIRST n LAST time also traveling just the 3 of us! If u know Thailand u would know why... All the *evil eyes and stares*!!!
My bro Jeff said gong gong should have bought a t-shirt from the night market that says, "THIS is my daughter and THIS is my granddaughter"!
OK Enough said...
P/s: thank you gong gong for the wonderful vacation!!!

Enjoy more pics ~> Click here

Oh yeah stay tune for our next "secret destination" adventure to celebrate baby Si 1 yr old bday!

Iherb...

Just like most mummies in malaysia n Singapore, I find myself being succumbed to online shopping especially when it comes to baby Si products. Convenient and cheaper than buying at the stores.

IPad, IMac, iPhone...now iherb?
www.iherb.com is an online website where u can find cheap products especially vitamins, baby food, baby snacks, baby products, etc...

Since most American & European brand products are expensive here especially baby Items, many mothers have resorted to buying online. But shipping internationally can be very costly. So here are some tips to making ur puchase. By the way, it can be addicting! This is my 3rd time buying from this website. *note to self: need to practice self control...but heck, it's okay to pamper baby Si with nutritious snacks right? So why not*... And I justify it by telling myself that this mummy has saved lots of mr. Hubby's $$ on formula milk as baby Si only drinks the best (.)(.)!!!

How to make your first purchase.
1) go to www.iherb.com
2) search for whatever products you might like to buy. Add to shopping cart.
3) to reduce the overall costs of items, make sure to buy less than 4lbs (1.814kg) totally in weight so that u will only be charged a flat shipping fee of $4.00 for orders over $40.00!
Customers in the USA can enjoy FREE shipping for orders over $40.00 regardless of weight, anywhere in USA. <~ how nice!!!
4) don't forget to use my referral code : "VUY141" at checkout because if you are a first time customer, you get $10 off for orders more than $40 or $5 off for orders less than $40! That makes your overall costs even cheaper!
5) don't forget to claim your free gift under "freebies". In my case, I got the free herbal zap drink and iherb threw in a lollipop!

Note: i know it is tough to stay within the weight limit of 4lbs!!!
So here are my tips!
1) shop for 1 item that you need that is expensive but yet light... (Examples makeup, makeup tools, etc). In my case, it was the "baby's DHA"!
2) then add the rest of your item that you need.
3) if u are short on a few dollars to make it $40.00, those happy yogis yogurt and fruit snacks are perfect fillers as they are really light weight!

If after reading all this and all sounds too confusing to you, just follow exactly what I bought from my picture and you are good to go! Maybe then when you make ur 2nd purchase, you would be pro! All the best and happy shopping ;) I know I did...

Can't wait to let baby Si try the baby's DHA once she turns 1 year old...SOON!!!

By the way, baby Si just had her first ever "brushing teeth experience" with the newly bought organic toothpaste and toothbrush! (She has 2 bottom teeth).
Still need some practicing though as she is scared of the weird looking gum brush "attacking" her mouth... She opened once to get a taste and then her mouth went to auto shut...

Ok this mummy is auto shutting herself too...zzzzZZZZZ....good nite!

I.am.sterdam...

Amsterdam...

Mr.hubby was fortunate to get to go to Amsterdam not once but twice! First time was back in 2011 when we went on our first Europe trip!!! (Pre baby si days..) I fell in love with Europe as we ventured into Paris, Amsterdam & Frankfurt...we didn't have enough time to conquer Rome, Italy, etc...*hint hint* and don't forget to include London dear mr. Hubby!

So this time me n baby Si just enjoyed daddy's trip via his pictures... Brings back memories! *Reminiscing*!!! We were gonna tag along as daddy was gonna be there for 2 weeks! But thankfully we didn't as daddy said the first day it snowed...and it was really cold...baby Si n mummy would have dreaded it and would have ended being cooped up in our heated hotel room! *bbbbrrrrr* Mr. Hubby was being told that in Amsterdam, it's cold 9 months in a year! That's wayyy too coldddd for wayyyy too long.... Just thinking of it, makes me shiver with goosebumps! Still remember how cold it was when we were there in feb! We had to stop into shops, not to shop but for the heater! And we had to stop for coffee breaks, not for coffee but to warm up ourselves...yeay to me as I love European coffees (they make them good) but boo to mr. Hubby as he doesn't drink coffee...yet he forced himself to chug it just to warm himself!

While daddy was in the Dam, me n baby Si went back to malaysia to visit gong gong, po po and chiu chiu... We even managed to sneak in a short trip to chiang Mai, Thailand just the 3 of us (me, baby Si and gong gong)

Ever since we got together, for the longest time i pestered mr. hubby about having a puppy!!! He gave me baby Si instead (which is of coz wayyyy better) :p But the irony is, this trip mr. Hubby had the cheek to tell me that he's now turned into a dog lover as he fell in love with not one but TWO dogs! And even took them for a long romantic walk on the beach (in the freezing cold!)

Mr. Hubby also had a good time with mr. Pete and his lovely wife Lavada. They were such lovely hosts and even made beef rendang (best ever rendang mr. hubby had ever tasted) and raita.
They are such sweet people... They bought baby Si a dress when she was first born and now onesies...and they haven't even met baby Si yet! I commented that the onesies were so cute and sexyyyyy! Mr. Hubby said baby Si can flaunt as much as she wants but only while she's still in diapers... Or else a big no no to sexy outfits :p *rolls eyes* ... Daddy's little girl...

Thanks to mr. Hubby for getting me my grocery shopping list! It weighed a whooping 23.5 kilos which almost put his luggage over the limit ( a note to mr. Hubby, next time bring 2 check in luggages laaa ) ..Since I couldn't enjoy the sightseeing, the least I can do is stuff myself silly with the yummy food! Baby Si also has her OWN share of yummy goodies...no more sharing with mummy! Hehehhe....btw, the Dutch makes wonderful yummy stroopwaffles!!! It's a one of a kind Dutch specialty...

In the pics: we stocked up on baby Si food and snacks...as we are prepping for her overseas bday celebration to our secret destination! Hope she will eat the prepackage porridge... All these while she only eats home cooked food and wouldn't eat anything that comes in packages...

A side joke: what did the fish say when he hit the wall? Damn the Dam... LOL...
By the way, I didn't come up wt this corny joke, it was given to us by our tour guide when we visited the Hoover dam in Las Vegas!

Our 2011 Europe pics ("pak Toh" days)...
Paris 1

Paris 2

Amsterdam & Frankfurt

2013 mr. Hubby Amsterdam pics...
Mr. Hubby's 2013 Amsterdam pics...

Who wore the hat better??? and the winner is...

From this post of who wore the hat better...

There was only 1 person who voted...ms. Kelly Thorn, and she voted for baby Si!
But that particular vote doesn't count coz she's a kindergarten teacher (and all kindergarten teachers are baby crazy!!!) and plus ms. Kelly is also a CHINDIAN (so her vote is bias as she thinks all CHINDIANS are cute including herself... :p)

So I have self declared myself as the winner!!! Muahahhahaha...
Lesson learnt to all the readers: plz vote next time..hehhehehe....

Baby Si beyond infinity solid food...

As the title describes...Beyond infinity! (This mummy has lost count)

Comparing her previous food journey to this new one, u will notice a difference as her list of finger food is larger than the list of new foods being introduced (into her porridge)...
Let me tell you the nightmare gong gong and I faced...(as po po was in spore and daddy in Australia n Amsterdam for business trip). It happened when she refused to eat her porridge for several days!!! Whenever the spoon came near her, she would cry and push it away. Initially we thought it was due to teething, but from my previous experience with baby Si teething, she had no issues at all... nonexistent to the point that we didn't even realized she was teething till 2 teeth sprung up! So what can it be this time that is causing her to not eat? We tried all sorts of method to make her eat but all failed...and I read online that due to teething, babies tend to not want to eat their solid due to gum discomfort and prefer drinking milk... And that was what I did, fed her milk so very often! I felt bad for letting her starve... I had to investigate this matter promptly! Then we were off to our chiang Mai trip. Because we were out n about doing lots of sightseeing, this mummy packed lots of snacks and finger food. We fed her whatever we were eating (rice, watermelon, banana, etc...) And during that trip that it dawn on me that she does eat all the snacks and finger food, thus it can't be teething!!! Coz if her gums are causing her discomfort, she wouldn't even wanna eat anything!!! And here she is, chowing down like a hungry baby!!! The conclusion to my investigation was she prefers food with TEXTURE!!!! Oh my...All these while I was starving her??? Poor baby Si!!! Thank God that the chiang Mai trip happened at the right timing...or else baby Si would have lost a lot of weight...

But it takes a while for her to chew (as she's still learning this new found skill). I would still feed her usual porridge (I make it a point to at least feed her half of what she used to eat) and then top up with textured food... That way I know she's full... And this method works well!!!

Below are the new foods that has been introduced (into her porridge):
Seaweed
Tofu
Spinach (intro at 10+ months)
Spring onions
Black fungus
Eggplant
French beans
Flaxseed

Finger food:
cut-up pieces of banana (took her many many tries to get her to like it. Now she's a banana girl just like her daddy!!!)
whole-grain bread
hard-boiled egg yolk
Rice
Guava
Mango
Tangerines
Watermelon
Rice cakes puffs
Toddler Biscuits

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So what does baby Si think of her gourmet meal???

THE RESULT?
Baby Si: "mummy, I'm a big girl now...no more mush please!!!"
Mummy: "can't believe she prefers food with texture. This is a bittersweet moment... Bitter as she is growing up so fast...sweet coz this mummy's blending n puréeing days are almost over!!!"

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What new food should I intro next?
Stay tune to find out ;)