J Summary (7Y9M6D): Writing his little story

Today even though it was a Sunday, our Little FECS (7 years old) out of his own initiative, sat down to write a story and made his story book with drawings. It was quite a few pages. We were very impressed with it. He was really having a lot of fun with it, and very motivated at writing his story. He found inspiration from his sea-animal card collection for this story line. I think I have his school to thank for making learning fun. That's the Danish way. The Danes have a talent in making learning fun *. It humbled me. I wish our Little FECS would show such love and interest for Chinese. He has not yet started to write an essay in Chinese yet. Hopefully this Danish habit will one day spill over to benefit his learning of Chinese and English.

* The Danes do not correct Children in their handwriting, and allow them to mispelt words, believing that that will inspire that love for learning language, and that the writing and spelling will correct itself as they grow older. Me on the other hand, constantly correct our son for his bad Chinese handwritting and his Chinese spelling.

Baby Food of the Day: Fish (6M26D)

11 December 2016 (6M26D): I made millet porridge with fish (torsk) and broccoli, and added olive oil and flavoured with ginger. After a good day yesterday, today was not such a good day. Baby FECS didn't like fish at all. This was the fourth time I experimented with fish. Made me a little sad, as it is very healthy to eat fish, so I hope that she will grow up with a life-long habit to eat fish, but I haven't succeeded in cultivating the interest yet. Daddy FECS said that perhaps the fish wasn't fresh enough, and that maybe I should buy it totally fresh from the fish-man (I bought them from Netto). Wow, that will be a lot of work to shop at different places!!! But I think he could be right. Will try it next time.

It helped a little that I served it with her favorite tomato soup. In that way, I managed to feed a few spoonfuls, still much better than a week ago, when she absolutely refused to eat.

Toy of the Day: Basket of Balls (6M26D)

11 December 2016 (6M26D): I noticed that Baby FECS loves balls. Of all the toys, she sometimes will ignore the rest and go for the balls. She started by going after the little football. So I prepared a basket of balls for her to explore. She likes to try to grab hold of it, and she could grab hold of the football. It is good hand motor practice for her.

Toy of the Day: Touch-&-Feel Baby Jigsaw Puzzle (6M26D)

11 December 2016 (6M26D): Touch-&-feel jigsaw puzzle for babies to practise eye-and-hand coordination by reaching for the handle and removing them.

At current 6.5 months, Baby FECS loves to reach for them, take them out of their slot and bang them. She loves to touch the fabric on them.

Similar knob puzzles are available from Amazon:

http://amzn.to/2gpzKeB

Baby Food of the Day: Egg (6M25D)

10 December 2016 (6M25D): Baby FECS saw Our Little FECS eating in church today, and she also wanted some. So she tried egg sandwiches in church and later again at home for dinner.

The Danish authorities advises that eggs can be given to babies from 6 months old (Source: Mad til Børn: Fra skemad til madpakker, Gode råd og godt at vide - Mejeriforeningen.

But I didn't think about giving eggs until today, when egg sandwiches were served at our church.

But I decided to play safe, and introduced only the egg yolk, as it is apparently the protein from egg white that may cause allergy. So I prepared egg yolk for her for dinner and see how she would like it.


Dinner: Chicken mixed whole grain porridge, tomato carrot soup and egg yolk

 I gave her only the egg yolk along with the tomato soup. She was willing to eat it :-)

You can read more about eggs for babies here.

Baby Food of the Day: Tomato & Carrot Soup (6M25D)

10 December 2016 (6M25D): Baby FECS tried the tomato & carrot soup (made from Philips soup-maker) today for the first time, and she liked it :-) 

For dinner along with porridge and egg yolk. From left: mixed grains (millet, buckwheat and quinoa), tomato and carrot soup and egg.

All done :-)

https://youtu.be/CNS3n89esMo

The tomato & carrot soup is easily made using the Philips soupmaker:

The Philips model is not available in Amazon, but something similar of a different brand is available:

Baby Food of the Day: Strawberries (6M25D)

10 December 2016 (6M25D): This was the first time Baby FECS tried strawberries. I diced it into small size as shown above and feed it with a spoon (sometimes by hand) to her. She seemed to be happy for it. She was more willing to eat what I put in the spoon, when I gave her the whole strawberry to explore by popping into her mouth. She didn't eat much though, a few pieces of the cut pieces only. But that was considered a success already, compared to some food, which she refused to even try. She had strawberries for afternoon meal at 2.30pm and for dinner at 5.30pm

https://youtu.be/nuP-gSfXKAc

https://youtu.be/k3ZXH8Af7Jc

Toy of the Day: Homemade Pull-A-Sash Box (6M25D)

10 December 2016 (6M25D): Don't throw away the baby-wipes case. Re-use it as toy by stuffing it with sashes. 

10 December 2016 (6M24D): Baby FECS loves pulling at things now. 

She could pull out the sashes from the box.

Toy of the Day: Touch-&-Feel Baby Board Book (6M25D)

10 December 2016 (6M25D) Baby FECS loves touch-&-feel baby board books now. She touched the fabric, and she seemed to love to touch the whiskers of the cat best.

Amazon has similar touch-&-feel books:

http://amzn.to/2hmyMSo

Some even come equipped with sounds:

http://amzn.to/2gpDFbu

Toy of the Day: Montessori Sandpaper Letters Sensory Basket (6M24D)

9 December 2016 (6M24D): Baby FECS loves touch-&-feel baby board books now. So as an extension of the same touch sensory idea and concept, I prepared this Montessori sandpaper letters sensory basket. You simple pick a letter, trace the sand-paper textured letter with baby and say its sound. This is just to give her a foretaste and fun, and familiarity with letters, not to hammer in learning letters at this young age.

8 December 2016: Oops... Before I could put the basket away, I was away for a split second and she started playing with it now... It was supposed to be for tomorrow!

9 December 2016 (6m223d): Baby FECS found the sounds of letters really funny. We traced b, m, k, g, s, o, u, q and v today. She found it fun to sit in the basket and picked a letter.

Here is a video on the sound of letters by a fellow mom:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hTWZ_8vRdZM

Toy of the Day: Musical Box (6M24D)

9 December 2016 (6M24D): Musical box 

9 December 2016 (6M23D): Mommy, how come there is sound coming out? 

Toy of the Day: Measuring Cups (6M24D)

9 December 2016 (6m24d): Measuring cups - for her to remove each layer and to bang and shake. 

Also good as bath toys.

Toy of the Day: Teddy-Bear (6M23D)

8 December 2016 (6M23D): I noticed recently that C loves to crawl over to touch the teddy bear the instructor is holding at Babysalmesang, and was totally delighted when the instructor hold the teddy bear and sing. Maybe she is into cuddly soft toys now, so I prepared this for her. I must find time to also make a play with the teddy bear, when she plays with it.

Picked this up from baby-swimming, and so I sang that to her:

"Teddy-bear, Teddy-bear, up and down

Teddy-bear, Teddy-bear, turn around

Teddy-bear, Teddy-bear, to-&-fro"

Hmmm... after 30 seconds, C preferred o play with the basket, rather than the teddy-bear, which is also fine. The basket is more interesting, and it is the toy to the her now.

Toy of the Day: Montessori Bottles & Containers Sensory Box (6M22D)

7 December 2016 (6m22d): Baby FECS loves to dig into baskets and boxes now. So today I prepared a Montessori sensory box made of bottles and containers for her to dig into.

Toy of the Day: Montessori Letters Sensory Box (6M22D)

7 December 2016 (6m22d): Montessori letters sensory box. Pick a letter and say its sound to your baby. Then just let her explore on her own with some independent play time.

In Loving Memory of Ah Ma

Today is the day of cremation. It felt like a second death - finality - with the body pushed into the burning furnace. Excruciating, but we should not depend on our feelings. The physical body is reduced to ashes, but God promises eternal life to those who trust in Jesus. In loving memory of Ah Ma, who is now in peace and joy with God in heaven, where there will be no more tears, pain and suffering.

"Precious in the sight of the LORD is the death of his godly ones." - Psalm 116:5