Somtam Nua (Bangkok)

*non-halal restaurant*

If you've been wondering where to have a nice, cheap and affordable lunch or dinner, here's the place that you should not miss. The food is nice, price is cheap and yeah, take note on the dishes mark with star. Those food are must-order food. You won't believe me if I say we actually visited this restaurant twice for dinner during our 3/2 nights stay in Bangkok.

How to Get There?

Very easy. Take BTS to Siam station. Walk towards Novotel Siam Hotel and walk further down, you will see the restaurant with a big signboard named Somtam (at the back lane).

 

 Honey Lemon and Strawberry shake... very nice! The strawberry shake is the best!

 Tomyam Pork 

 Garlic fried Chicken. Must order. Justin's favorite!

 Fried spicy fish. Only 100bhat. Cheap right ?

Pork Chop - must order.

Mango Tango (Bangkok)

Again, if you ever visit Bangkok, Mango Tango is a must. It's a little pricey, but it's delicious. Bangkok mangoes are so sweet! 

How to get there?

It's located at Siam Square, can be reached by BTS to Siam station. It's just opposite Somtam Nua (if you know this famous restaurant).

 

The Best Mango Sticky Rice (Bangkok)

If you ever have the chance to hop on to Bangkok, this particular mango sticky rice stall at Thong Lo is a must. If you are a sticky rice lover, this is really must eat. You will not regret because the taste is so good! 

How to get there?

Take MRT to Thong Lo station and use the right lane. From there, if you look down, you can see the streets like below. The mango sticky rice stall is the very first stall, on the right.

 How to recognize if you're hopping on to the right stall? Look at the number 38 on the stall name, and the stall is operated by two sisters. 

 This plate of mango sticky rice only cost 60bhat. So yummy! Really Must eat! :p

Daniel - 5 months

I feel as though I just brought you home yesterday and today, you are Five months. Within a blink of an eye, you grow just like that. And everything seems to go by faster the second time around. You are our biggest chatterbox and you just love to babble. It seems like you are on top of the world whenever people talk to you. And when you see anyone of us talking to you, you cast your biggest smile ever. And that smile alone, makes me the happiest mom on earth! Happy Five months old baby! 

Baby Stats:

 --------------------------

  

Sleep

Some days, you sleep well. But some days, you can be not-wanting-to-sleep mood. Even though I've tried many methods trying to put you to sleep, but you wake up every 30 mins. But overall, I'm still one proud mama because you sleep pretty well during the night.

Feed

Still breastfeeding and going strong! 

And still drinking 5oz of milk. Night time you will DL because it's so much easier. Thank you for not having any nipple confusion . =) Are you excited baby boy? Next month you will be having your first taste on solid food. Rice cereal! Or Fruit puree! Your mama is extremely excited! How about you? =D

Weight

 At birth : 3.02 kg

7 weeks : 4.7kg

3 months : (still not checked)

4 months : 6.2kg

5 months : (not checked)

Funniest Moment

Ok, I think this is funny. When your Jie Jie is taking turns to sit on your bumbo. She's pretty cute when she says "Daniel I carry you". Hugs to both of yo u.

Milestone

  Can sit pretty well on Bumbo.

Rolling from back to tummy happily! And very fast!

Favorite Toy

Previously was your fist, and this month, it's your little fingers!

Daniel, I carry you.

Recently, Jie Jie has been wanting everything to be hers. She says "Mine" and hides the things she wants behind her back. We have been constantly repeating the word "Share share" with her a couple of times.Well, this is just another phase of growing up. A normal part of the development process. I will not be so strict or upset because of this, oh well, the power to possess is a natural part of the child’s growing awareness. Give them some time and they will outgrow from this, very soon. Don't make a big deal out of it. Some of these struggles should be ignored — you don't want sharing to become a parent-child battleground.

One trick that works for my daughter to share her things is to ask her to keep back her things. Strange? Yes. She feels happy if she owns the things, and she doesn't feel happy if I ask her to pass the toys to another child. So, what works is I ask her to put the toys on the table/keep the toys in the room, which means nobody owns the toys. And it works pretty well. She even clap her hands after that. So, parent your child your own way. Do not have to be that strict because they are growing up and they are learning. And you do not have to follow the book step by steps, follow your instinct, follow your heart.

Here's one funny act when Jie Jie wants to sit her Di Di's Bumbo.

Ashlynn : Daniel, come I carry you. Go sit your chair (the fisher price rocker)
Daniel : Looking at Jie Jie.

Ashlynn tried to carry him but she couldn't.
She gave up and she stood next to Daniel.

So, I carried Daniel and put him on his rocker and within a split second, Jie Jie was already sitting on his Bumbo.

Haha. She's so cute when she said Daniel, I carry you. =D

The "Protective" Big Sister

You know whenever I see the big sister adores her little brother, I just couldn't describe the feelings in me. I love seeing both of them together...and that feeling is just awesome.

Today, our dearest daughter woke up with a smile. She saw her little brother on the bed and she went over, called his name "Daniel Boy" and then she kissed his forehead. Such a simple act like this, puts a big smile on my face. I cherish days like this. And it became my prayer every day, that my kids wake up with a big smile on their face.

Ok, back to the reason why I'm writing this post.

Recently, she has been "body-guarding" her little brother a lot. A protective big sister I can say.

See below.

#1
Ashlynn saw Daniel was pulling the blanket.
Ashlynn : Mama, see. See Daniel. Blanket. No Daniel. No pulling blanket.

#2
Daniel burps.
Ashlynn : (Ran over to me) Mama, Daniel vomit.

#3
Me : Daniel, don't roll over yet. Wear your pampers first.
Ashlynn : Mama, who? (she was asking I scolded who).
Me : Daniel.
Ashlynn : Mama scold Daniel.

#4
Daniel was sitting on his Bumbo seat.
Ashlynn : Daniel, come. I carry you. Go and sit on your chair .
(Her intention was she wanted to sit on the Bumbo and asked Daniel to lie down on his rocker instead)

#5
Daniel was playing with his pillow.
Ashlynn : Mama, see Daniel. Daniel, no playing with pillow.

She's such a cutie pie. A live reporter. She reports everything that Daniel does to me. Haha.
My cutie pie.

Funny Chats #1 - #4

Some funny talks with my daughter.. it's just amazing that the moment she turns two, her ways of expression are so cute and funny. I'm laughing away while chatting with my daughter... =D

Funny Chat #1

Me : (sms-ed Justin) Please help me to wash and sterilize the bottles.
*Came out from the room after nursing Daniel*
Justin : Why you sounded like Aunty? Should type like "Dear, help me to wash bottles".
Ashlynn : (laughing at me) Aha.. Papa scold Mama.

Funny Chat #2
Heavy rain - thunder and lightning strike
Ashlynn : Scare me...... (laughing away)


Funny Chat #3
Me : Ashlynn, time to sleep.
Ashlynn : Ok. Papa, bye bye. Barney, bye bye. Jup Jup, bye bye. (while walking to her room)


Funny Chat #4
It was bedtime and I was busy with my phone.
Ashlynn : Mama, what are you doing?
Me : Mama shopping.
Ashlynn : Me also. Shopping. See.
Lol, my future shopaholic.

I shall create a new hashtag called "Funny Chats" and record all the funny conversations with my daughter. Few years later, I might look back and laugh and smile.

Everyday is a milestone

If you read my previous post, I will do all I can, not to miss any golden nuggets watching my babies grow. They grow EVERYDAY. It's just amazing how much they learn, how much they know and how much they grow in just a day. Today, I hear her saying new word. The next day, she is already constructing a sentence. I'm just impressed at how fast she learns. People used to say babies brain are like sponge and today, I couldn't agree more.

Few months ago, she just started learning how to talk few words in a go, expanding her vocabulary. But today, she's two and she's already a talkative little bubbly girl. She's able to relate situation and talk. Able to express her feelings. Able to say what she wants. And, complain if she's not happy or if someone bullies her. In just that few months span, she's not only growing in size, but also in character and personality.

Everyday is a milestone.

There's never a dull moment with her around. She lightens up the whole house and recently, she's so much into Hugging. Whenever she sees me, she run towards me with her arms open wide, ready for a big hug. My heart just melted away ... I stop doing whatever I'm doing, I squat down and open my arms wide enough, grab and hug her, and give her few pecks on her cheeks and say I love you. Then, she smiles. That priceless precious smile.

A genuine smile...

My baby girl.... I love you!

One More Year

...The hubby finishes his Masters, moving up to the next level.
...Ashlynn is getting ready for kindergarten .
...Daniel is 1 year plus, entering into toddlerhood.
...And me... I get back my sleep.

Literally, I do not know what one year later unfolds. Those above are all that I envisioned what one year later brings me and my family. All that I know, time is moving by pretty fast. Sometimes I just couldn't catch back with what the day has got hold on me. At the end of the day, I lie down, close my eyes and before I could reflect back my day, I was fast asleep.

I constantly remind myself to slow down and enjoy my babies, while they are still babies. And enjoy my husband while we are still young and fit. But most of the times, whenever I wanted to slow down, I remember those bottles that are still lying in the sink, those clothes that are all over the bed not fold, those sticky floor, etc.... And I get up, get those things done .. AND I never ever learn to slow down. I do not know how, there are just many things calling me, following after me.. "Please clean me".

Well, one year later.. I do not want to regret for not enjoying my babies. They are growing up too fast.. and I believe, next year, I will miss Daniel's baby moments. I will miss Ashlynn's learning-to-talk moments. As I watch my babies grow, I know that I really need to slow down and enjoy every seconds I can with them. Forget about those unwashed bottles, laundry, washing, cleaning etc.. those things can wait. All I need to do is to lie down and sit with them, watch them grow and re-learning life with them. Well, my children do not need a super clean house, but they need me to be by their side, learning and growing up together.

And today, I'm learning .... learning to slow down and enjoy my babies.

Happy 2nd Birthday My Princess!

Our dearest daughter has just turned TWO one week ago and we had a simple Hi-5 birthday party for her. The best that I could do, with that little time that I have. We prepared some food and thanks to our babysitter for cooking nasi lemak and sambal kangkung. Delicious!

28 Sept 2013.

Dearest Ashlynn,

I just couldn't believe that you are now two. It seems like you were just born yesterday and when I looked back those pictures captured and saved in our hard disk, I smiled. My heart feels so full! I'm happy. I'm proud. I'm blessed. I'm beyond thankful.

One of the things that I cherish the most is your SMILE. Whenever you smile, whenever you giggle, that's the moment that I want to bottle up and keep them close to my heart forever. I'm on top of the moon whenever you are happy. And that's my proud moment.

You brighten each and every day of ours. With you at home with us, it's never a dull moment. Our lives have never been the same again, the family grew from two to three and now four. We are just so so so blessed to announce that you are our daughter, and we are your parents.

Thank you Ashlynn for making this family complete. Thank you for making us the happiest parents on earth. Thank you for being who you are, and thank you for your smiles, giggles, hugs, kisses, love....

Papa, Mama and Daniel love you!