Isn’t it scary? The two ladies had only met hours before she was brutally killed for her baby. The killer:

is very polite and generous

seemed to have friends and

belonged to Southridge’s HOPE Club, a service group that collects items for needy families and organizes fundraisers

I’m generally a very friendly person but reading news like this makes me more cautious nowadays. It also drives home the message that nice people are not REALLY nice.

Posted by The Associated Press July 02, 2008 16:30PM

KENNEWICK, Wash. — A woman charged with stabbing a pregnant woman to death and then cutting her baby from the womb apparently did not know the victim well, investigators said today.

Phiengchai Sisouvanh Synhavong, 23, apparently met the victim Araceli Camacho Gomez, 27, only hours before the slaying occurred late Friday, Benton County prosecutor Andrew K. Miller told The Associated Press.

“There is no evidence they knew each other prior to the day this happened,” Miller said.

The baby boy remained in critical condition in a Spokane hospital, but Miller said he was told the child appeared to be improving.

No details on the child’s injuries have been released, including whether he was injured during the attack on his mother.

Miller filed a charge of aggravated first-degree murder against Synhavong but her arraignment, originally set for today, was rescheduled for July 9 while authorities worked to line up a defense lawyer qualified to handle a death penalty case.

Superior Court Judge Robert G. Swisher approved the one-week delay at the request of defense lawyer Christopher A. Swaby.

“We need a lawyer with death penalty experience,” Miller agreed.

Aggravating factors cited in the charge are premeditation and the apparent kidnapping of Camacho Gomez before she was killed, Miller said.

Prosecutors have 30 days to determine whether they will seek the death penalty. The only other sentence for aggravated murder under Washington state law is life in prison without parole.

Meanwhile, the baby’s father, Juan Campos Felipe, 34, of Pasco, must deal with a 140-mile road trip to Spokane to visit his son in the hospital, care for the couple’s 10-year-old son and 2-year-old daughter and prepare his wife’s funeral. He has little money, Miller said.

“We met with him today and he’s just — there are a lot of issues,” Miller told the Tri-City Herald. “His truck is broken down. He’s been trying to go back and forth to Spokane to see the baby and his other two children are here.”

An autopsy showed that Gomez was stabbed multiple times. Her hands and feet were bound with yarn and her uterus had been cut open and the baby removed. Her body was found in Columbia Park early Saturday morning.

Synhavong tried to pass the infant off as her own to emergency dispatchers in calls late Friday night, but a medical examination showed she had not recently given birth, police said.

On May 14 she married Keun Synhavong, 35, who is believed to work as a fisherman in Alaska. Acquaintances described her to the newspaper as very polite and generous.

She reportedly told friends she was pregnant and was afraid her husband would leave her if she didn’t have a baby.

Beneath her senior picture in the Southridge High School yearbook for 2004 was the quote, “Love like you’ve never been hurt before.” Officials said she attended Columbia Basin College that fall but left after one quarter.

Ralph LeCompte, who just retired as the high school’s assistant principal, told the newspaper she seemed to have friends and belonged to Southridge’s HOPE Club, a service group that collects items for needy families and organizes fundraisers.

“The Southridge community is just as shocked as the entire Tri-Cities community. We saw no signs whatsoever,” Lecompte said.

– The Associated Press

Instead, I decided to check up on BPA as my friend (thanks so much, BH!) asked me if I’m using Avent since she’s just got some BPA-free bottles. I was like, “What’s BPA?” And until I found out an answer, I can’t sit or think straight.

I’m glad I devoted my time to research this morning because here’s what I found out:

BPA is Biphenol-A, a chemical to make clear plastic including baby bottles. It’s now known to be hazardous to human health. After my encounter with dioxins, I was stunned to hear that the pump and bottles containing the breastmilk that’s 100% good for Lucas is actually bad for him!

The trusted brand of AVENT breastfeeding pump and bottles I’ve been using for the past 2.4 years is rated “POOR” among the brands evaluated for BPA (see Z-report below).

Plus, I’d highly recommend the AVENT pump and bottles to many of my friends who have / are becoming new Mums!

Although I’ve tried Medela before, I found the AVENT pump a better performing one, despite the fact that:
a) it can ONLY fit AVENT bottles (not generic-sized bottles)
b) the bottles, teats etc cost a bomb as they are made in the UK

I was *really surprised* at finding out AVENT’s poor ratings but this changed to annoyance when I did a search myself on the Avent website and found NOTHING on BPA or Biphenol-A. I would have thought they’d at least come out with a media statement like they did in Canada.

When I was back in Malaysia early this year, I was hunting high and low for new teats and bottles and found that AVENT was low on stock. Even their retailers couldn’t explain why!

Incidentally, Avent is now known as Phillps-Avent? One of the retailers showed me that the new bottles no longer had the words “Made in England”. I’m not sure if this is good or bad but I need to find out more about this corporate merger.

What I found is that Philips-Avent has positioned its product line as “Green Products”, which focus on their impact on climate change.

Our Green Products offer customers, users and society a significant environmental improvement in one or more of the Philips Green Focal Areas:

Energy efficient

Packaging

Hazardous substances

Weight

Recycling and disposal

Lifetime reliability

In the US, AVENT is among the plaintiffs named in a class action lawsuit. The paralegal is also inviting other purchases of these brands to come forward.

In US, AVENT bottles can be returned at ToysRUs or BabiesRUs as shared by “>this Mum and this Mum.

In Canada, FREE BPA-free bottles are given to those who dialled the AVENT toll-free line.

HOW ABOUT US IN MALAYSIA???

1. My AVENT bottles DO NOT have a recycling logo OR plastic recycling number, which mean they contain BPA.
2. I have just bought 3 new 9 oz bottles and 6 new teats - with BPA
3. I am hanging on to my AVENT Isis Manual pump to be used for the next baby, which includes 2 5 oz bottles, which I’m guessing, were made with BPA

I can bet that, with the AVENT Isis’ excellent reputation among breastfeeding mothers, many out there have the same thought as I have:

QUESTION: Can we return all these to AVENT in exchange for BPA-free pumps and bottles (if available)?

I have written to the AVENT Corporate Communications’ team and look forward to receiving a response from them soon.

REFERENCES:

Study warns of baby bottle safety (27 February 2007)
The independent laboratory study was conducted in cooperation with the Environment California Research and Policy Center to test whether bisphenol A, a chemical used to make clear plastic for consumer products, including baby bottles, was released into the liquids the bottles contained, Environment California spokeswoman Rachel Gibson said.

The group tested five popular baby bottle brands — Avent, Dr. Brown’s, Evenflo, Gerber and Playtex — all five of which leached bisphenol A at levels “found to cause harm in numerous laboratory animal studies,” Gibson said.

According to Gibson, the plastic material in containers breaks down through use and releases bisphenol A into liquids and food.

Bisphenol A has been linked by scientists to cancers, impaired immune function, early onset of puberty, obesity, diabetes and hyperactivity, Gibson said.

Gibson said though San Francisco currently prohibits the use of bisphenol A in toys and child care products for children under 3 years old, her group is calling on California and the federal government to eliminate this and other harmful chemicals from products used by children.

Environment California is also calling for required product manufacturer labeling and reforms in chemical manufacturers’ policies.

The group recommends consumers choose glass or “safer-plastic” baby bottles. In addition, the group advises against heating up food or drinks in plastic containers, and using harsh dishwashing soap and hot water, as these practices can speed up the rate of leaching, according to Gibson.

RECYCLING CODES ON PLASTICS (text from WeeklyWay):

#1 & #2 - Most water, soda, juice, milk, and shampoo and soap bottles are made with PET or HDPE plastics. They are widely recyclable and safe as long as they are not reused.

#3 - Vinyl or PVC - Potentially hazardous - they can leach plasticizers and lead. They are also not recyclable.

#4 & #5 - Safe and recyclable - many food storage containers and plastic wraps are made from these two types of plastic.

#6 - Polystyrene - more commonly known by the brand name, Styrofoam. While polystyrene is technically recyclable, it is difficult to recycle and due to its light weight many curbside recycling programs do not accept it. Polystyrene is also potentially hazardous, as it can leach styrene, a known carcinogen.

#7 - PC/PA #7 is the catch-all for the types of plastic that do not fall into the previous 6 categories. Products in this category range from polycarbonate (PC), which is non-biodegradable and potentially hazardous, to the safe and compostable polylactide(PA), which is made from plant materials like corn, and used to produce products like plates, bags, and bottles.

Z Report (3rd edition) on BPA in children’s feeding products

Click on any company name in the listings below to find the BPA status of all children’s feeding products they currently manufacture, as well as recently discontinued items.

Here are some brands you may be familiar with, and their ratings:

“Excellent”
- provide attractive, functional products in at least two product categories or exceptional design in one category, with all mouth-contact products being exclusively BPA-free
- Combi, Medela, Thermos, thinkbaby

“Good”
- provide predominantly BPA-free mouth-contact products and offer at least one recently-designed BPA-free item in each product area they serve.
- IKEA, Tupperware

“Fair”
- may provide excellent products in some categories but produce products in other categories while offering no quality non-polycarbonate option.
- Dr. Brown’s, Evenflo, MAM, Munchkin, Nuby, Playtex, Rubbermaid, The First Years, Tommee Tippee

“Poor”
- demonstrate an unwillingness to acknowledge the legitimacy of consumers’ concerns about Bisphenol-A and/or offer few or no BPA-free products
- Avent, Ameda

Biphenol-A (BPA) free.org - videos, news and updates on the fight for BPA-free products

Bisphenol-A is a hormone-disrupting chemical considered to be potentially harmful to human health and the environment. It has been known that scratched and worn polycarbonate feeding bottles will leach this chemical into liquids.

I’m not sure what’s he up to now but he’s been VERY CLINGY. He wants me to:

wake up when he wakes at 5.30 am (his Dad is already up and happy to help with anything he needs),
refill/bring/pick up/hand him his water bottle,
pass him his bolster,
be the one to change his diaper or
bring him to the toilet!

AAAARGGGHHHH! I read that the 2nd year is Mummy’s year but this is unbelievable! Imagine this pesky little fellow saying,

“Want Mummy wash bickside (backside)! Want Mummy wash bickside (backside)! Want Mummy wash bickside (backside)! “

at 5.30 am…This is the WORST case scenario for this Mummy who needs her sleep and thinks nobody should be up at such an hour.

Grr…frustration aside, his speech has been making me laugh a lot:

Looking for an umbrella before we go out in the scorching summer sun…

Me: Where’s the red umbrella?
Lucas: (wringing his hands) Boh!
Me: (muttering as I look under the couch, behind the door, in empty boxes etc)
Lucas: (a sudden brainwave) Papa ghia! No bring back! Hor…(the last word is said with much feeling)

When I related this to Hubby, he was indignant at being the scapegoat!

While playing with his trains, he’ll announce that he’s Thomas, Mummy is Percy (best friend) and Papa is James. One day, he found two trucks and declared…

Lucas: Lu-ker baif (drive) digger. Mi-mi sit peam-roller (steam-roller, which is actually a police car).
Me: Papa leh?
Lucas: (continues without a hitch). Dis one digger. Bob the Builder oo digger. Dis one peam-roller…Lu-ker baif (drive) digger.
Me: Ok. Where’s Papa?
Lucas: Lu-ker baif (drive) digger. Mi-mi sit peam-roller (steam-roller).
Me: Papa leh? See Papa’s face sad liau lor…why Papa boh truck eh? (Papa’s face is sad. Why doesn’t Papa have a truck too?)
Lucas: (hurriedly glances at Papa and thinks for a while) Boh! (matter-of-factly) Lu-ker baif (drive) digger. Mi-mi sit peam-roller (steam-roller).

Papa just snorted at how quickly Lucas dismissed his needs…poor guy.

Walking in the park, we passed a few romantic couples…

Lucas: Oo uncle auntie sit mountain (rock).
Me: Mmm…
Lucas: Hold hand! (They were holding hands) No shoe! (They had their shoes off)
Me: Ok.
Lucas: (Points) Nother (Another) uncle auntie. Oo shoes. Got! Got! (This couple had shoes on).
Me: Ha lah…let’s go. Mai kepohlah…(Hokkien=Don’t be such a nosey parker)
Lucas: Uncle auntie sayang!
Me: Where? (big mistake)
Lucas: Over there! (and points to the offending couple stealing a smooch)

I quickly hurried him out of the park before he got too carried away with pointing out what each couple was doing. If not, I may have to offer items like milk powder, English books or luxury watches as compensation for personal injury!

Yup, got a typhoon headed our way! We’re all hoping that good old Taiwan will do its best to ward it off Xiamen again…

When he’s not making Mummy mad, he makes her laugh! Check out what this smart aleck says:

P/S He’s into this habit of stretching some words now for emphasis. Sometimes, he throws in a bit of a shiver for effect. It’s kinda cute and sure saves him from being dumped into the dump truck!

Before going to the supermarket, I gave him a pep talk because he was VERY naughty the last time i.e. wanting to buy yoghurt, mantou, chocolates, sweets (cough drops! chewing gum!) off EVERY shelf we passed; yelling and crying at the check-out and making Mummy look like a cruel wai guo ren (Mandarin=foreigner).

Me: Ai go Rainbow market, mai? (Wanna go to the Rainbow supermarket?)

Lucas: (nods) Mi-mi hold hand. Mai run! Walk, walk…slooooooow. (purses lips and puts fingers together for emphasis).

Me: Yesterday, Lucas naughty. Oo boh? (Yes or not?)

Lucas: (nods again) Mai cry. (thinks a while) Ai happy!

Me: LOL (There goes the fierce Mummy pep talk :P)

——–

At the swimming pool…

Lucas: Mi-mi, go there! Go over there! Oo many big kor-kor there! (excitedly pointing at the 1.7 m deep end where kids are wildly jumping into the water)

Me: No…cannot. That’s for big boys. Lucas small boy, stay here.

Lucas: Lucas big boy! Lucas big boy! Mai stay here! Go over there! (shouts loudly)

Me: Ok, naughty liau hor? Let’s go home.

Lucas: Stay here. SWIMMMMMMMing!!!! (gets all giggly and excited again)

——-

While watching Bob the Builder (again!!!!!!)…

Lucas: Mi-mi swish (switch) on! Bob the Builder dannnnncinggggg!!! (shivers excitedly)

Me: Mai-lah. Lucas switch on. Where’s the green control?

Lucas: Over there! Up there! (points to the top of the TV)

Me: Please bring the control here.

Lucas: Not! Not! Higgggggghhhhh! (shows big eyes at me and waves both hands in the air)

Me: Lucas big boy now. Wow, Lucas tall tall - put your hands up! There…you can reach the control…

Lucas: Lucas *small* boy (”small” is said in a tiny whisper). Boi ghia! (Hokkien=I can’t reach it!) Mimi ghia!

So convenient, right? He’s a big boy when he wants to expand his horizons but he’s a small boy when he wants to be as lazy as his Mummy!

——

Sex education 101

Me: Lucas si boy or girl?

Lucas: Lucas boy!!!! (yells loudly)

Me: Shh! Talk softly. Mummy leh?

Lucas: Mi-mi boy!!!!

Me: Cheh…nolah, Mummy si girl.

Lucas: Mi-mi boy!!!

Me: No…Mummy si girl.

Lucas: Mi-mi boy!!! Mi-mi boy!!! (stars chanting and jumping)

Me: (decides to change the subject) Papa leh? Papa boy or girl?

Lucas: (sneaks a peek at his father in the kitchen. Thinks a while) Papa sang (siang) boy (Hokkien=Papa seems like a boy).

That sure made me laugh!!! Of course, his father wasn’t that tickled…

——

Gender studies 101

Me: Lucas, Papa fat or thin?

Lucas: Papa fat!

Me: (chortling) Lucas leh?

Lucas: Lucas thin!

Me: Mummy leh?

Lucas: Mummy fat!

Me: (with raised eyebrows) Hah? Mummy fat??? Mummy mana oo fat? (Official translation: How can you say Mummy is fat? Look carefully)

Lucas: (in a small voice with a small smile) Mimi thin…

Me: (smiles broadly)

Lucas: (smiles happily)

Papa: (not smiling as he examines his fat tummy)

- THE END -

Hmm…I’ve got to shake off that doubletalk. I know my father would say:

“Stop talking to him like a baby!”

It’s raining again. I’m having a part-time maid come in to help with the housework and also for some company.

Sigh, sigh, sigh - Mummy needs massage therapy!

Next, she introduced me to her network of Malaysian mums, a few of whom have come forward with tips, help and other means for us to settle down better in this new city.

When my father passed away, she was equally wonderful - just a simple message of condolence and then she let me be. When we came back, she didn’t call me, allowing me to make the first move when I was ready.

Now that we are back, we SMS and call each other frequently to catch up. Yesterday, she was sweet enough to call me to tell me about the impending typhoon. I was grateful for that warning because my TV is tuned in to Bob the Builder, Thomas the Tank Engine, Tigger, Sesame Street or some other 2D character the whole day…

Not many people remember the homemaker stuck at home, you know?

The best part is - this lady is 12 years older than I am!

Yet, I can chat and joke about anything under the sun with her

She’s been to our place 1-2 times but it’s always to pick us up for an outing (and helping me get Lucas into his diaper, pants or shoes) or to grab a quick lunch. She even helps to carry Lucas or my handbag to give me a break LOL

Wanting a bit of fun recently, I organized a potluck lunch. I also wanted to use it as an opportunity to introduce 2 other Malaysian mums to the group.

I was surprised to hear that she and the other Mums were *very* worried about my ambitious plan!

Knowing that I had no maid but an over-active toddler, they all fretted over HOW I was going to pull it off

Used to event management, I knew that I could do it with some careful planning. Also, Hubby chipped in as adviser and anchor for the necessary supplies.

What did my fantastic friend do? She:

a) called me up to set the date and time, helpfully indicating which days would not work with her buddies;
b) offered to bring almost her entire kitchen over - she virtually did as she brought many bowls and utensils to supplement our meagre 4 pcs of everything;
c) rounded up her buddies - 3 of them showed up 3 hours earlier to help prepare the main meal;
d) coordinated a potluck - we ended up with so much food everyone could da bao and I even had dinner guests! (Hubby and his colleague)
e) ensured that everything was cleaned up, cleared away and everyone cleared out by 3 pm. She wanted me to grab some shut-eye before Lucas woke up. He’d dozed off at around 1.30 pm.

Isn’t she amazing?

It was a superb lunch because 12 mothers or so showed up with food, fruit and frolic. We had a lot of fun preparing the main meal, eating the various food  (including some freshly baked bread, chocolate cake, rojak and char koay kak!)

With a compatriot from the Land of the Hornbills, I served laksa Sarawak, except that I accidentally boiled the eggs instead of making omelettes!

Lucas? He enjoyed himself immensely with 2 new kor-kors, a jie-jie and a di-di.

We talked about the rising petrol prices in Malaysia, Altantuya, the American incestuous father, stretch marks, organic and GM-food in China, China dolls, summer holidays (when most of them fly home, sob, sob!), cute air stewards and other womanly stuff, except acne treatment

I had so much fun I’ve got a mind to organize another one soon…just for the sake of getting these mother hens all flustered up again ;-)

What do you get when you put 12 homemakers in a room? Not many leftovers! Here’s what my dinner guests were entitled to:

(clockwise from top left): Char Koay Kak, laksa Sarawak condiments, rojak, cherries, sambal belacan and chicken curry.  

One thing’s for sure - 2 Malaysian men went to bed really happy that night (while another grumbled enviously since he was stuck in the office) after such a tantalizing treat!

“HOW do you work from home?”

After a bit of explaining that I work off my laptop via the Internet, some people grasp the idea but some still have many questions…

To make things easier, I describe to them my home office, which consists of:

1. A laptop - the basic equipment for a copywriter / media consultant like me

2. Word processing software - I was fortunate that I could buy the original Microsoft Office package at a discounted price. I’m on the look out for Adobe PDFWriter Professional…if anyone knows how I can buy this cheap, drop me a line ASAP!

3. Antivirus software - Needless to say, this is very, very important to safeguard my working drafts, files and other important information stored on my laptop.

Now, I’m using the AVG Free Edition but I was informed that free updates are no longer available beginning June 1. I’ll need to pay US$50++ for a yearly upgrade. I’m still thinking about it.

4. External hard disk - Since I no longer have an IT department to run to, I need to ensure that I do a regular back-up of all my documents.

Luckily, Windows Vista has a great ‘alert’ system that prompts me to do a back-up periodically. Since my files and information are ultra important, I decided to go for the best external hard disk, the Western Digital.

5. The Internet connection - After the laptop, this is the second most important investment a home-based worker will need as it’s your gateway to the world. With the internet, you can:

make/receive phone calls via Skype/MSN/Yahoo,
send/receive emails,
PDF documents,
fax documents,
research for information and
lastly, keep in touch with everything and everyone.

Since setting up a home office and sharing the internet with Hubby, I’ve learned about routers, splitters, network switches, Cat5e patch cables and other such geeky bits.

Still a long way to go though as my eyes glaze over when Hubby begins to explain them…

6. A printer/scanner/fax machine - This would be the perfect complement to the basic home office since it’d allow me to do more.

Currently, I work completely off the laptop but it’d be great if I could print out some documents to read offline, especially as Lucas prefers me to sit with him either on the carpet or sofa.

And there you have it - the basic home office. Due to our transient situation, I don’t have a work station equipped with hanging folders, filing cabinets and a proper document storage space, which would be ideal.

I use various clear and flat folders to organize my papers and a box to store my books and other references. They are kept out of sight (and out of toddler trouble) in the spare room’s empty wardrobe.

For me, necessity is the mother of invention. I’d love to hear what others’ work at home set-ups are like!

Although I “look” like Sporty, I only like a few types of sports: running, swimming, tennis and volleyball.

Hubby tried to get me into hiking but it’s too much work. AND I always end up whining ALL THE WAY up and down (grins).

Before Lucas the blob showed up, we’d planned on taking up scuba diving but looks like this sport’s taking a backseat for a long while.

I was reading one of Ladybird’s “Peter and Jane” books to him tonight and one of the pages showed the children riding some horses. He was interested because most animals he’d seen in books or on TV are “free” from restraint.

He pointed out that Peter “sit horse”. I corrected him, saying, “Yes, Peter’s riding a horse”.

He replied, “Lucas want ride horse.”

Alamak! There’s NO WAY we will be able to afford the horse rental, riding fees or equestrian clothing for this sport!

The only horse I’ve ever ridden is the tired, old horse at Taman Tasik Titiwangsa…and to my chagrin, he stopped halfway to sniff his own shit

Sigh…I SHOULD have taken up my colleague’s offer when he said I could ride one of the horses on his Argentine farm!

I wish I’m not that terrified of the animal kingdom. My fearless little Lucas is teaching me this now - sadly, the only horse he can mount now is probably a hobby horse, a horse on a carousel or that old horse’s prime successor…

What do you look for in a t-shirt? For me, it’s always a look and feel combo.

When asked to select a HuddyBuddy t-shirt, I immediately went for the “Play It Loud”.

Don’t you agree that it’s the perfect choice for Lucas?

Little boys like it loud! Turn it up in this junior rocker’s vintage-style tee.

Lucas loved it too and immediately yelled “Guitar! Guitar! Guitar!” and pranced around the room.

I loved that the tee arrived WITHOUT the usual strong, stinky smell of new t-shirts. Why? That’s because Huddy Buddy tees are hand screened in small batches using the finest inks.

While I found the 100% cotton tee slightly thin for US$26, I loved its soft, comfy feel after the first wash. No pennies for guessing which is Lucas’ favourite t-shirt now

Besides hip t-shirts, Huddy Buddy offers sibling tees, big brother tees, big sister tees, cool onesies, cool t-shirts, hip onesies.

Guess what? Huddy Buddy gets you the girl - and she drives too! LOL

Did you know that Huddy is actually a little boy’s name? Buddy is the tag for his baby sister. With such a cute name for cute t-shirts, this family-owned business focusing on ethically-made garments has this Mum’s vote for feel good, look great garbs!

Check out Huddy below - he loves the “Play it Loud” t-shirt too. I couldn’t find his baby sister’s pic anywhere - hope to see her one day

SUMMER TRAFFIC
Other than Putonghua, the Chinese must have another common understanding on the road. If you see the street below, the taxi is turning left while a bike is coming straight. Another car is heading towards the bike.

Yet, no signals are used and the road is wide enough to accommodate anyone’s last minute decisions!

If you cannot stand sudden swerves, sudden step-on-the-brakes, sudden appearances of cars/bikes/humans in front of your car/bike, your heart can’t take driving in China =)

FANTASTIC FAMILY TIES
For all their spitting, shouting, scratching, scolding and squashing, I really admire the strong Confucianist principle of filial piety. Many families around consist of grandparents, parents and children. Nice family portrait, isn’t it?

BACK TO BASICS
Check out the babywearing Dad. While natural parenting practices like breastfeeding, babywearing and cloth diapering are starting to take the Western world by storm, countries like China have been practising them for ages!

In fact, they know of no alternatives other than what they have been used to all their lives. Sadly, the onset of capitalization is slowly (or quickly) eroding these “uncivilized” and “countrified” practices.

Interestingly, I find that the neighbouring Taiwanese are a strong influence - breastfeeding is replaced by super-expensive artificial concoctions of formula, disposable diapers are considered “modern” and “upscale” and babywearing is replaced by “trendy”, branded, man-made baby carriers.

Will someone please tell them that they’ve got it right all along?

FRUITS, FRUITS, FRUITS
Xiamen is a rather dry location. If you’re not careful, you can easily get a sore throat and fever. I’ve been advised by the local Chinese to eat lots of fruits.

This dutiful wife and mother went to the wet market and saw:

MANY OLD FAITHFULS

RAMBUTANS! (In a Styrofoam box, ugh)

AN INTERESTING SPECIES
Called “wanmei” (one of my former student’s name!), its aroma is sweet. The texture is springy like a strawberry but unlike its surface, this resembled a close-knit hedgehog?

It’s quite juicy (darker ones are sweeter) and has a light, sour tang. It has a hard seed in the middle and is relatively easy to eat except for its maroonish juice that stains like a dragon fruit!

I’ve been advised to pre-soak it in salty water to kill off any unwanted worms…so far, so good. Lucas doesn’t like them. He prefers sweet peaches

SO MUCH SOY
I wish my Mum or Ahma is here in the city with us as they’d be able to tell me what these are and what I could cook out of them:

CREEPY CRAWLIES
I didn’t notice them but while waiting for fish to be gutted, Lucas pointed out, “Frog!”. Boy, were they huge! They’re probably bullfrogs???

With all this hype about exotic foods in China, how come nobody’s come up with funny t shirts
yet?

WHAT HAS HE BEEN UP TO?

HANGING OUT WITH HIS OLD MAN
It’s nice to see father and son together. Lucas’ active running about helps his father to get rid of the beer belly he’s been developing with help from Tsingtao and whatever he eats outside…

TOUGH GUY AT THE PLAYGROUND
I had to stop a fight once when he stubbornly refused to wait for a kor-kor to finish his turn at a wheel. He firmly placed his hand on the wheel and in the excitement of trying to push this little fella away, the kor-kor got his hand squashed!

Aiyo, I hurriedly apologized and dragged him away before the bilateral relations between our countries escalated into a playground battle…

MASTER OF THE THRONE
He can pee and poo in the “big toilet” now but it’s still very much according to mood. Sometimes, I invite him to go at intervals but he refuses. I’m hoping to have him ready for preschool but if not, the ayis there will have to do the dirty job…

Do you believe in this? I know I used to when I was a “pudgy” teenager weighing in at 45 kg.

It didn’t help that my friends were all skinny whippets. What irked me the most was being dubbed Carnie Wilson (thanks, Vien, for the correction!) from the group, “Wilson Phillips” because my 2 friends and I went around singing their songs.

She was obese, I wasn’t. But compare her now with her sister, Wendy and the lead Chynna Phillips. Don’t you think she glows with health and more importantly, looks YOUNGER than her thinner sister?

But I spent most of my 16th and 17th years trying to “lose” weight. I was an expert on basic nutrition, I know every fad/crash diet in women’s magazines (now fashionably reincarnated as “Atkins” or “South Beach” etc), I can estimate calories and everything…

Since I also read fitness and nutrition books and magazines (thanks to my beautician Mum!), the experts are in agreement that EXERCISE is the key to fitness and looking fab. I incorporated running and walking into my routine and was good friends with one of my school’s top athletes.

Phaim Imm - remember our running days??? You were my inspiration!

Thankfully, I lived a full life and had supportive parents (although my father lectured constantly about my ‘weird’ diets. I think my Mum gave a gentle word or two but let me be most of the time) that I did not end up with an eating disorder.

The Telegraph recently published thatMagazines ban anorexic models, which is great because a lot of teenage girls get their beauty role models from the glossies.

Liz Jones, editor of Marie Claire said,

“A code of self-regulation would mean if an agency sent us a very thin model whose bones were showing through her skin, we would send her back and write to the agency as well as other magazines telling them not to use her.

Some girls are naturally very small but we have decided not to use girls who are known to have an eating problem.”

This is a major step to help prevent eating disorders among our teenage girls, who frequently resort to dangerous drugs like Phentermine.

What does this mean for the modelling world?

Even if you are thin, it doesn’t mean you’ll become a model. You need to show that you’re a healthy person first!

Girls - there are other safe drugs to help you. Even exercise and a healthy, balanced diet. You will also find that your friends (and guys who really care about you) DO NOT BOTHER about whether you weigh 45 kg or 100 kg.

Remember,

“Nobody can make you feel bad about yourself unless you let them.”

or my favourite from Mark Twain:

“Keep away from people who try to belittle your ambitions. Small people always do that, but the really great ones make you feel that you, too, can become great.”

Seriously, I’ve been there.

The best thing I’ve done? Accept myself as I am and discover ways to enhance the assets that I already have. You can do that too!