Skin woes

I rarely get acne. But when I do, they are really huge, which really annoys me to no end. I have tried a few creams here and there. Some work, some don't. Right now, I have no remedy for my zits and I am close to considering acne pills as a solution. I reckon the culprit is that I am wearing makeup on a regular basis now for work, which was a practice I never did observe before. So I guess my skin is screaming now "Give me a break!" It seems like I have to be more diligent in my skin regimen so I don't get anymore of them bothersome zits.

Thanks to the Internet

It's amazing how the internet works. Just recently, an uncle sent me a message introducing himself to me as a cousin of my father. I have never heard of him before so it came as a surprise when he gave me all this information about how we were related. He is actually in the same boat as I am, trying to connect with all relatives and hopefully put up a webpage. I, on the other hand, have started the egroup for my mother's side of relatives and I've managed to get into Tribal Pages and Facebook and what other social networking sites. So yeah, the internet is good in that sense because it enables us to connect to friends and long lost relatives.

Rewards

I baked some banana bread today. Truth is, I haven't baked in a long while as I have been too lazy to have to do anything with the kitchen. Work keeps me busy and tired at the end of the day so the energy I have left is used for my little girl who is quite a handful as well.

It felt good to be baking again. And even more so when the final product was yummy! It is truly rewarding. Next time I will go for a more personal reward, and that just means only one thing -- shopping! Maybe a pair of Naot shoes or a nice top will do. I guess, we'll all have to wait and see then. :)

Free Parenting Teleseminar from Pinky McKay

Before I go off to check out this digital frame, just thought I'd share this event which I got from BubHub. Anyone in the world can participate for as long as you've got broadband internet. :)

Pinky McKay is offering a free teleseminar/webinar on Wednesday 1st July at 11 am (Sydney, Australia time). She will be discussing on:

Which common parenting advice is at odds with optimum infant development and why.

Which 4 interactions are most important for wiring your baby's developing brain.

Five ways you can increase your little one's capacity for social, emotional, physical and neurological development.

The single best thing you can do to encourage your baby's development (this doesn't require expensive equipment or teaching aids!)

For more information on how to register for this event, click here.

Catching Up

So... I haven't been blogging. What's new? LOL.

Well, in the rare moments that I do have to blog, I try to do some updating so everyone else knows what's going on.

First things first. I passed my driving exam finally!!! Yes, I now have a full licence and can drive around the place unaccompanied. Next up is getting another car so we don't have to keep relying on our old one.

Work is, and will always be, hectic. But I have managed to pass my application for the practice audit so that my qualifications will be fully recognised by the Australian Board.

That's two thorns now taken off, and what a great relief!!! I fell asleep last night quite easily, which, I guess, is a good indicator that I am not so stressed out anymore. Just lovely. :)

Parenting Courses

Feel the need to take up some courses on parenting? I heard of this from an egroup that I belong to so I am sharing it as well with the rest of the blogosphere before I head off to read up once again on mesothelioma. The following courses are from EduChild:

FIRST STEPS COURSE
(Young couple with children below age 7)

Discover and harness the huge potential of their children in the key developmental aspects: psycho-social, physiological, cognitive and moral
Instill good age-appropriate habits in their children,
Foster a joyful and enriching family life with their young children

Topics Include:
Importance of play
Preparing fro school
Sibling relationships
Concept of discipline
Communication within the family

BASIC PARENTING COURSE
(Parents with children age 7 and above)

Have regular family get-together and bonding activities that are both fun and meaningful for all members of the family
Nurture the Husband and Wife relationship through regular and exclusive time shared by the husband and wife
Build one-on-one bond with each child
Live and understand one’s faith through PRAYER FOR and PRAYER WITH the family

Topics Include:
Good study and work habits
Using chores creativity for child rearing and family bonding
Anticipating and coping with peer pressure
The right and wrong approach to sex education

For more information on these courses, click here.

Healthier Alternative

Ever tried Vegan food? Well, neither have I, not until I met this workmate of mine who has exposed me to this healthy alternative. I reckon Vegan food are fat burners in their own right because you tend to stay clear of meat and all that animal fat, which we know isn't really all that healthy.

It's good food actually, but I think I don't have that discipline and dedication yet to get into it purely. I still love my meat and dairy products and I am not ready to give them up just yet. Having said that, I truly admire my friend for having this sort of lifestyle.

Still on Language Skills

I recently posted an entry on Language Stimulation for toddlers. Today, I received a link to an article also discussing the same topic. This one though points out a number of Language Red Flags that all parents should be aware of, and tips as well for how to deal with such problems. These include but are not limited to the following:

Mispronunciation

Lisping

Stuttering

Flow

Apraxia

To read the entire article on BabyCenter, click here. There's also a nice article written by a speech-language pathologist here, which talks about strategies for the "reluctant talker."

Alright, I'm off once again to read up on diet supplements. Hope you all have a good week ahead!

In the Clear

Well, sort of. I haven't been blogging as much because the little girl got sick last Sunday. She has been having diarrhea since then, but what really was a a concern for us was the kind of poo she was excreting. Would you believe that was white in color, and weirdly resembled the consistency of mayonnaise? Yucky I know, but that's how it was for three days. We google-d her symptoms and was so scared to come up with things like bile blockage or liver disorder! So finally, yesterday, we decided to consult the GP. Fortunately enough, she reassured us that she was not particularly concerned about Erin, and that had it been a blockage or liver problem, the little girl would have looked sick. The GP said it was just a form of gastroenteritis.

You see, the little girl may have been pooing frequently, but she didn't look sick at all. Yes, she was not as active as she used to be but she can manage to play and walk around the house. Yesterday was actually a good day not only because of what the GP told us, but Erin didn't really poo at all! It was a relief for once not to be changing her nappies because of that. Today though her poo has improved though still a bit pale in color.

Alright enough poo talk! The little girl is obviously well now as she is back to her hyperactive self and her terrible two's dramas. The real test I guess is if we placed her in her Bob stroller. Last Sunday, being sick, she was very compliant and was just happy riding in it while we were in the mall. However, not that she is fine, I am pretty sure she will be squirming as soon as she's bored, and eventually demand for us to let her walk instead. If I am a betting person, I'd definitely go with the latter. :P

Hope you all have a good weekend!

Feeding Worries

Apart from the usual terrible two's antics that Erin is now exhibiting, she's also become a picky eater. I reckon it's more her lacking appetite for eating rather than being choosy in the food that she eats. I'm also thinking that she is also sick and tired of our menu and that maybe it's time I revise it so she can try some new things.

While that's all in the brainstorming stage, we're trying to give her some nutritional health supplements, which I think is quite helpful for kids with this sort of problem. It seems that it helps improve her appetite to some extent, and that for us is sometimes enough -- just to see her eating as much as we would like her. I really do hope it is just a phase and one that she will soon outgrow.