The Soloist (2009)

I watched The Soloist (Jamie Foxx, Robert Downey Jr.)  with my hubby last Friday and the movie is GREAT even though I was asleep at the end of the movie because it was nearly 2am. Anyway, I love the soundtracks because it was taken from Beethoven's musical pieces (I'm listening to Beethoven Symphony No. 5 1st Movement as I'm writing this post). Really love the movie!!! Btw, Robert Downey Jr. is hot!! But, my hubby is even hotter! Owww!! 

Baby's Language

Last 2 years, I was watching The Oprah Show when I came across the episode discussing about baby's language and miraculously, I've tried it and it worked well with my 2 babies; Delisha (06.01.09) and Darwish (04.06.10). I hope this can help other mom, regardless you're a first timer or not. Good luck!

Tips: be alert and lots of practice!

Dunstan Baby Language is a claim about infantile speech patterns and language acquisition in humans. The claim is that across cultures and linguistic groups there are five sounds, each with a meaning, that are used by infantsduring the beginning of the language acquisition period. The hypothesis was developed by Australian former mezzo-soprano, Priscilla Dunstan, and has been featured on the Oprah Winfrey Show.^[

Words (sound reflexes)

According to Dunstan, the five universal words (or sound reflexes) used by infants are^[3]:

Neh

I'm hungry - An infant uses the sound reflex "Neh" to communicate its hunger. The sound is produced when the sucking reflex is triggered, and the tongue is pushed up on the roof of the mouth.

Owh

I'm sleepy - An infant uses the sound reflex "Owh" to communicate that they are tired. The sound is produced much like an audible yawn.

Heh

I'm experiencing discomfort - An infant uses the sound reflex "Heh" to communicate stress, discomfort, or perhaps that it needs a fresh diaper. The sound is produced by a response to a skin reflex, such as feeling sweat or itchiness in the bum.

Eairh

I have lower gas - An infant uses the sound reflex "Eairh" to communicate they have flatulence or an upset stomach. The sound is produced when trapped air from a belch that is unable to release and travels to the stomach where the muscles of the intestine tighten to force the air bubble out. Often, this sound will indicate that a bowel movement is in progress, and the infant will bend its knees, bringing the legs toward the torso. This leg movement assists in the ongoing process.

Eh

I have gas - An infant uses the sound reflex "Eh" to communicate that it needs to be burped. The sound is produced when a large bubble of trapped air is caught in the chest, and the reflex is trying to release this out of the mouth.

SOURCE: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dunstan_Baby_Language

Easy Sambal Goreng

For lunch today, I cook sambal goreng and stir fry prawn with mushroom. Here is the recipe for the easy sambal goreng for those who wants to eat home cook simple sambal.

Ingredients: 3 Big onion (bawang besar)

3 Big red onion (bawang bombay)

1/2 packet of chilli paste (cili boh)

1 tablespoon tamarind juice (air asam jawa)

Sugar

Salt

Seasoning (the best umami flavor is Ajinomoto)

Blend 2 big onions with 3 big red onion. Stir fry with some oil until cooked, then add in chilli paste and tamarind juice. Stir well then add in sugar, salt and seasoning to taste. Serve hot with white rice.

Kid's language

These are the words that my 3 years old son and 2 years old daughter says until now even though they know the real words and it's very funny :

Koko krunch: kong ka lash

Sippy Cup: bussy cup

Petronas: Pok Panas

Penguin: Ping ko pin

Hahahahha.. raising my own kids since they were 1 day old really makes my life full of sunshine even though sometimes its full with storm (when you feel like you want to scream at the top of your lung because of their misbehavior).

RESEPI KERANG DIVA

wow... I cooked this recipe for the first time and nail it! My hubby loves it and even my 5 year old girl also loves it (she doesn't eats the kerang, she just eats the sambal). I googled for recipes on kerang this morning and found a recipe which I change to suit my taste (I'm quite picky because of this pregnancy). Here goes the recipe:

KERANG DIVA

Bahan-bahan:
Kerang 2 kg
Segenggam udang kering saiz kecil
Beberapa biji cili
3 biji bawang bombay
5 ulas bawang putih
Seulas halia
Sesudu besar cuka
Kicap manis secukup rasa
Garam secukup rasa
Beberapa helai daun limau purut

Cara-caranya:
1. Cuci kerang bersih-bersih dan rebus hingga hampir masak.
2. Pisahkan sebelah cangkerang kerang tersebut. Ini adalah untuk memastikan isi kerang akan meresap semua perisa. Ketepikan.
3. Kisarkan bawang bombay, bawang putih, udang kering, halia dan cili sehingga halus dan tumiskan.
4. Masukkan daun limau purut, kicap manis dan garam secukup rasa. Tambahkan air sedikit jika terlalu kering.
5. Masukkan kerang dan gaul rata.
Siap untuk dihidang dan dinikmati bersama nasi panas.

Happy trying!

Boy found alone with dead mother

I found this sad article dated April 7, 2009 and it really makes you wonder how do we care for our neighbors. How much is too much to know about your neighbors affair?

Source: http://www.upi.com/Top_News/2009/04/07/Boy-found-alone-with-dead-mother/UPI-30531239124116/

CLINTON, Mich., April 7 (UPI) -- A 1-year-old boy found alive with the body of his dead mother may have been in alone their apartment for several days, police in Clinton, Mich., said.

Cody Farley was found by the body of his mother Kelly Farley, 31, who had suffered with diabetes for years and had given birth to Cody against her doctor's advice, The Detroit News reported Tuesday.

Helen Farley's brother found the boy Sunday when he went to check on his sister after not hearing from her since last Wednesday, said police Capt. Richard Maierle, noting police found no sign of forced entry or foul play.

The boy was examined at a hospital before being released into his uncle's care, said Helen Farley, 52, the boy's grandmother, who wondered why neighbors didn't notice anything unusual.

"Didn't they hear the baby crying?" Farley asked. "Why didn't they knock on the door? (My grandson) sat there eating his own feces and cat food.

Malaikutmu... Your angel

I went through my e-mail and I stumble across this old e-mail sent by my sister. i still remember my first reaction after reading this e-mail. I CRY!!! It touched the very core of my heart. i post the Bahasa Melayu version. Later, when I have the time, I'll translate it to English.

Malaikatmu.. ...
Suatu hari seorang bayi siap untuk dilahirkan ke dunia.......

Dia bertanya kepada Tuhan : " Para malaikat disini mengatakan bahawa besok Engkau akan mengirimkan saya kedunia, tetapi bagaimana cara saya hidup disana; saya begitu kecil dan lemah ?"

Dan Tuhan menjawab: "Aku telah memilih satu malaikat untukmu. Ia akan menjaga dan mengasihimu ."

Bayi bertanya lagi: "Tetapi disini; didalam syurga ini, apa yang saya lakukan hanyalah bernyanyi, bermain dan tertawa...Inikan sudah cukup bagi saya untuk berbahagia."

"Malaikatmu akan bernyanyi dan tersenyum untukmu setiap hari. Dan kamu
akan merasakan kehangatan cintanya dan menjadi lebih berbahagia"

"Dan bagaimana bisa saya mengerti disaat orang-orang berbicara kepada saya
jika saya tidak mengerti bahasa mereka ?" "Malaikatmu akan berbicara kepadamu dengan bahasa yang paling indah yang pernah kamu dengar; dan dengan penuh kesabaran dan perhatian. Dia akan mengajar kepadamu cara berbicara."

"Dan apa yang akan saya lakukan saat saya ingin berbicara kepadaMu ?"
"Malaikatmu akan mengajarkan bagaimana cara kamu berdoa"

"Saya mendengar bahawa di Bumi banyak orang jahat. Siapa yang akan melindungi saya ?" "Malaikatmu akan melindungimu; walaupun hal tersebut mungkin akan mengancam jiwanya"

"Tapi, saya pasti akan merasa sedih kerana tidak melihatMu lagi"
"Malaikatmu akan menceritakan kepadamu tentang Aku, dan akan mengajarkan
bagaimana agar kamu bisa kembali kepadaKu; walaupun sesungguhnya Aku akan sentiasa disisimu"

Disaat itu, Syurga begitu tenang dan heningnya sehingga suara dari Bumi dapat terdengar, dan sang bayi bertanya perlahan : "Tuhan, jika saya harus pergi sekarang, bisakah Kamu memberitahuku nama malaikat tersebut ?"

"Kamu akan memanggil malaikatmu itu: " IBU "

Ingatlah sentiasa kasih sayang dan pengorbanan ibu. Berbakti, berdoa dan cintailah dia sepanjang masa..... Dialah sesatunya harta yang tiada galang gantinya dunia akhirat...

Dan untuk para ibu, ingatlah kisah ini dikala kamu hilang sabar dengan karenah anak-anak yang sedang membesar.... sesungguhnya Syurga itu dibawah telapak kakimu...

Sucikanlah 4 hal dengan 4 perkara :
1) Wajahmu dengan linangan air mata keinsafan,
2) Lidahmu basah dengan berzikir kepada Penciptamu,
3) Hatimu takut dan gementar kepada kehebatan Rabbmu, dan dosa-dosa yang silam
4) Di sulami dengan taubat kepada Dzat yang Memiliki mu."