It all started last week.  I had my jaw dropped when I saw Samson's record book that he is only taking one nap per day.  I was told that tots usually start to drop the two naptime into one when they are at least 24 months.  He is just turning 16 months.

Oh well, what can I say, Kumon's new advertisement slogan, children should learn based on their ability, not age.  In this case, children grow at their own pace, regardless of age.  I am proud to inform that Samson is physically fit, thanks to all the physical play at the playground.  Daddy was horrified when he saw Samson climbed up the slide, so do I when I first witnessed it. But I should be proud of him as it took a lot of courage and strength for him to do that, because I don't help him.  All I did was standing nearby and make sure he doesn't fall.  Of course mummy is worried sick but I rather coach him than left him explore aimlessly and injure himself. 

When my maid showed me the first time, how Samson crawl underneath his cot and the big boy bed to retrieve his toys, I was shocked too but what can I say, he did well each time, although he bumps his head a little, no harm done.

I can't speak the same when he switched his curiosity to the TV rack. I have refrained from teaching him how to open the cupboard but he saw the adults doing it and he learned by observing. Again he did well, and managed to pull opened the cupboard door without clamping his left hand. It was until daddy spotted a deformed right thumb on Samson then we realised that he must have bruised it learning to do the same with his little right hand where we kept the family photo albums.

Guess it's time to pay his favourite PD a visit again!

To get a quick snapshot of the chinese peranakan heritage in Singapore, read this article written by Dr Partha Desikan, a scientist from Bangalore, India.

The best way to learn about the various types of nonya kueh is to visit bengawan solo website.  If you see something that you especially like, just run down to the nearest bengawan solo outlet.  Having a party, just click and order direct from their website, prices are all listed, and best of all, they deliver.

Sakura Restaurant has added a whole list of nonya food into their international buffet lines.  They even invited the original actresses in Little Nyonya to make their commercial advertisement. So bring your family down to one of their outlets for a treat to savour these delicious nonya kueh now.

To top it up, go down to the new Peranakan Museum located at 39 Armenian Street, free admissions on Fridays, 7-9pm during non-special exhibition periods. This new museum aims to house the best collection of Peranakan artefacts in the world, and the first comprehensive display of Peranakan culture anywhere in the world. It is positioned as a boutique museum which offers a complete visitor-experience, ranging from rich material culture displays where visitors interact and learn using the latest technology, to food sampling and merchandising. Guided tours, hands-on workshops, demonstration sessions and mass participation events will also be planned for schools and the general public.

To learn more about the Peranakan culture, here's a list of Peranakan books recommended by the Pernankan Association of Singapore. If you are interested to join as a member, just complete the online form with a cheque of SGD103.00 payable to "The Peranakan Association. Best of all, you don't need to be a Peranakan to join.

Interested to learn Peranakan cooking, try out this Nasi Ulam (traditional mix rice) receipe.  This is a healthy one-dish meal featuring a variety of Malaysian ingredients as well as dried shrimp, fish and coconut.

Take a pictorial tour of the DBS House in Malacca located on Tun Tan Cheng Lock Street. The townhouse comprises of two adjoining plots, was converted into a holiday house for a corporation. Much of the original character of the house was conserved and restored. My DBS colleagues who had stayed there said it is a little creepy.  A lot of noises coming from the staircase, like people running up and down, but when you look out, there is no one. So when you're free, just drive down to Malacca and take a look.

If you are given a second chance to live your life, how would it be?

Second Life is a 3D virtual environment. Within the computer-rendered world, users can create their own identity (known as an 'avatar'- you can choose your online name, and how you look and what you wear) and interact with others in a lifelike social space. Residents can explore, meet other Residents, socialize, participate in individual and group activities, create and trade items (virtual property) and services from one another.
All it takes is a few moments to register for a free account.  Go to Second Life now and try it out the Peranankan way!  You will be ‘teleported’ to the Peranakan Corner-Featuring Straits Chinese,  in Hyperborea [222, 206, 23] . There is a house showcasing simple Pernakan History, photographs, beadwork and clothing.

I am certain that all mothers will agree with me.  So we got pregnant and then we eat and eat and the tummy gets bigger and bigger.  Ten months later, our little darlings are delivered.  And then what are we going to do with the big tummy?  Diet loh, exercise loh.  Dear mothers out there, it will not disappeared overnight.  There are a minior lucky ones who loose their tummy overnight, like my sister-in-law.  When she saw me 3 days after delivery, her jaw almost dropped to the floor.  I looked like I was still 4 months pregnant.  To admit, I was the lazy type, never go gym, never exercise.  Then when I returned work, someone told me, I only have ten months to loose those weight or it will be forever yours to keep.  No wonder so many happy mothers wearing oversized clothes. All my previous working clothes cannot fit, because of my big flabby tummy. 

Lucky for you, this is what I found out.  Don't panick.  There are such thing called negative calories food.  Meaning, the more you eat the more you loose! I am sure your MIL will be like me, WHAT diet, you need to replenish what you have loose, not diet.  Start when you feel the time is right.

What is negative calories food? These are foods which use more calories to digest than the calories the foods actually contain, also known as fat burning foods. Thus the more you eat, the more you lose weight!!! Some of these natural foods are asparagus, apple, beet, berries, broccoli, cabbage, carrot, cauliflower, celery, chili, cucumber, garlic, lettuce, grapefruit, lemon, mango, onion, orange, papaya, pineapple, spinach, turnip, zuccini, etc. There are about 100 negative calorie foods.

Learn about the food you can eat to loose more weight!

Temper tantrums are an unsettling but natural part of the child development process. My maid had her first OFF day on Sunday and I had a taste of my growing boy tantrum.  When he doesn't get what he wanted, he used to sit and bend down covering his face.  Now he starts to kicks his two little legs in protest, roll around on the floor. I know if I don't start doing something to correct this behaviour, he will simply become more aggressive.

This is what I've learnt.  When he is throwing a tantrum, don't show any emotion.  Neither do you want to show disapproval, he is only expressing his emotion to you, in a way that he knows.  It isn't his fault. I had tried to hug him, but it simply add to his frustration when his movement got restricted and he became more aggressive.  The trick is just let him act it out and he will calm down. Stay nearby to keep him safe, but don't show too much compassion or he will learn to throw tantrums to get your sympathy and attention. 

Sometimes, a toddler is past the point of reasoning. Once the fit begins, he needs to finish out the tantrum. He simply can’t control himself. The emotions overwhelm his little mind. When that happens, simply wait it out. And if he’s angry at you, he needs space between the two of you.  When he calm down, I'll ask my maid to take him to his room. This is a sort of time-out but is not a punitive matter. He’s not being punished but he is being allowed a quiet place to calm down without any stimulation.

It works well so far, and when he returns in a minute, he is still my little sweet darling!

Last night, we were playing together, then somehow he got frustrated with me again.  He quietly walked away, to his room to play with my maid, leaving mummy alone in the living room. It was then that I realised how fast a kid can learn.