Lazy Sunday Mini Cheesecakes

Ludo is in Cambodia for more than a week. This weekend, I wanted to go easy. The weather has been perfect for cocooning on the canapes with a cup of tea while watching TV. It's rare to have rainy and windy weather in the hot spot Singapore. Ah no, I wished I could do that.....I have a toddler!!

So I put those minds away from me. I called my ex-room mate who stayed a few months after I came back from Paris in 2004. She lives in Yishun now, 40 minutes away by MRT train. We used to bake or cook together on the weekend if she wasn't busy with hairsaloon training. It always nice to have a visit and we plan to do simple baking on lazy sunday while we update each other lives. She loves baking cheesecake and I miss it!

Noelia decided not to nap at her usual time. My friend came, and she immediately wanted to play with her. Noelia used to be shy with new people, but with my friend she loved her. They gigled, danced, sang, and do the silly things. After a few hours, finally she napped! There you go, we have time to make the cheesecake inspired from the toddler's recipe book.

Mini Cheesecakes

No Baking. The muffin cases are needed for these cheesecakes. It's great for tea party and I think I'm gonna make these for her birthday celebration.

Ingredients

6 digestive biscuits

50 g butter

1 tub of philadelphia low fat cream cheese or mascarpone cheese (if we use this mascarpone we need to add 120ml double cream)

icing sugar (it depends how much sweet you want)

fruits, anythings like kiwi, strawberry or canned-peaches.

Line the muffin-tray with 6 large paper cases. Put the biscuits in the ziplock bag and crush them using your hands or a rolling pin. Take out the butter from the fridge and let it soft a few minutes. Put the butter together with the crushed biscuits in the bowl and stir it with your hand or wooden spoon. Divide the crumbs between the cases and use clean fingers to press firmly into the base of paper. Chill in the fridge whilst you prepare the filing.

Mix and fold it together the philadelphia cream cheese and icing sugar until soft. Spoon the filling onto the crumbs on paper cases. You may put them back in the fridge for awhile so the cream chesee will get hardened. Meanwhile, you can prepare for the fruits by cutting them small. You can decorate the top part anything you like.

Good luck!

Take them Outside!

A couple of days ago, my friend asked me "Why don't you try Little Gym or Gym for the toddlers in Forum and other shopping centres? They have a good reputation among parents with toddlers to improve their skills and confidence"

And I was wondering for awhile that it is not a bad idea to try a couple of times for Noelia. She probably required more skills and it looks like she's ready. Of course, I wasn't agreed to do it when she was below 1 year old. Furthermore, it's a comfortable place to hang out in aircon room. There are many indoor playground in Singapore these days.

When we look for child care around where we live, I took the consideration on how much time she can play outside. The staff explained to me about 45 min in the morning from 9-9.45 am. So I was pleased to hear that. She loves to ride a tricyle, jumping around on the grass, exploring the toy house with friends. But yesterday when I picked her up, Noelia jumped in to the tricyle and did not want to leave. The teacher told me that they didn't have outdoor activities because it was a morning rush for them and really busy. I regretted that they did not plan the day properly. But hopefully, it will be one occasion that won't be repeated again.

This morning I read an article titled 'Playtime-Take it Outside' by Rae Pica which now I have cleared the doubts about Indoor Playground on regular basis.

She said, "... The outdoor is a very best place for preschooler to practice and master emerging hysical skills...that the children can fully and freely experience motor skills like jumping, running and leaping.
The Outside is also important because the outdoor light stimulates the pineal gland, the part of the brain that regulates"biological clock", is vital to immune system and make us feel happier. Outside children more likely to invent games. As they do they are able to express themselves and learn about the world in their own way. They feel safe and in control, which promotes autonomy, decision making and organizational skills. Although the children are playing only to have fun, they're learning the following;

• communication skills and vocabulary (as they invent, modify and enforce rules)
• number of relationships (as they keep score and count)
• social custom (as they learn to play together and cooperate)

Furthermore she said, "...Children who spend alot of time acquiring their experiences through television and computers are using only two senses (hearing and sight), which can seriously affect their perceptual abilities"

Now I believe that outdoor in nature is their classroom. It may be hard sometimes for us to spend sometimes outdoor because of the heat and humidity under the sun. I know even if we are going for a jogging, we will choose the time after the sun goes down. But I know for sure that I won't pay to get my daughter enrolled in indoor gym on regular basis. Whatever the ad says that it improves the flexibility and skills, maybe it is. But nature is best for them now.

Recently I allow 30 minutes of Baby TV program, 4 times in a week. No, I am not thinking about introducing computer or laptop until she really needs it. Although most parents are proud that their kids (below 5 years old) can use the computer, well I don't.