The Cake To Make When You Can't Bake

I've always been inspired to make my kids' birthday cakes. Here's a collection of them so far...

Jaundiced Dog for No.1's 2nd Birthday.

Cupcakes for No.2's 1st birthday.

A carrot cake for No.2's 1st birthday

More cupcakes, this time for No.1's 4th birthday

Dessert for No.1's 5th birthday.

No.2 just celebrated her birthday and I was inspired, yet again, to make her a birthday cake. I wanted to make something easy, as usual. Something that will taste and look good, naturally. And something that will not require any baking, if possible. You see, I don't have an oven. I have something that calls itself an oven but bakes only the sides of a cake. That's why I keep baking to a minimal. So you cannot imagine how delighted I was when I found this recipe.

And here's what No.2 got for her 3rd birthday...

If, for whatever reason, you can't bake, THIS is the cake to make!

Be prepared for a mess when you cut into it though. I will definitely make this again. Heck, if I could, I'd make this cake for all the birthdays to come!

Guest Post - Teaching A Preschooler To Read

There are many things that people can do in preschools to help get an early start on learning how to read. The most critical is to read to the child. Starting as early as possible can help create an interest in books. There is no age that is too young. Read books that are all time favorites such as Dr. Seuss books, or ones with pictures that have texture where the child may use their hands to feel the page. It is fun to use difference voices for the characters, and allow the toddler to participate as much as possible. If the preschooler wants to hold the book, stay on one page or help by turning the page, go with it and encourage their participation and interest. Books that rhyme or have nice tone are also helpful when learning.

One effective way to teach a young child to read is by using a to-with-by method. First you want to read to your child. Next you want to read the same book with your child. The final step is for this book to be read by your child.

Start by reading short books with simple themes, read it often enough that the child can memorize it. Books with only one or two small sentences per page are the most effective. Also choose a book that has pictures that match the text. The point is to read to the child often enough in order for them to memorize the text. It may help to keep a good reading schedule. Try picking a time of day that works for you. At that time, read books that the preschooler is familiar with.

Next, read with the child. Let the preschooler chime in with you while you read. Be sure to point to each word, or have the child point. This will help them memorize the words by sight, and build a sight list vocabulary. Sight words can be taught quickly and learned with ease using this method. Once your child can practically recite the book from beginning to end, it is time to move onto the final part of learning.

The final part is for the reading to be done by the child. Using a positive and encouraging tone, have the preschooler read to you. During each page, listen to the child recite what they remember. Allow them to turn the page when they have completed telling you about it.

Avoid letting the situation escalate to the point in which the child feels frustrated, bored, or incapable of completing the task. If you notice the child is annoyed at any point, take a break. Put the book aside, and use words of encouragement to focus on their accomplishments thus far. To provide some variety, encourage the child to show off their new learned skill to others.

This method will teach children to learn the whole word and delight in their ability to read. Before you know it, the child will be reading with pride.

About the Author: Brianna Kelly has over 5 years experience publishing articles on childcare education and parenting. She writes on a regular basis for a childcare provider based in Dublin, Ireland.

Yikes! I Made A Doll

Conceived sometime at the end of June.....head first.

Looks kinda creepy huh?
I grew goosebumps looking at this.

Born 19 September 2012, after 3 months of labor.

She has 10 toes!

To be adopted by No.2 when she celebrates her 3rd Birthday.

And dimpled knees too!

She even has a butt crack and a belly button but I won't be showing that here.

Yet to be named. Let's just call her Doll for now.

I can't believe I actually made a doll. I'm still in awe of myself for having accomplished this. Oh, the things I'd do for that daughter of mine. Well, it all started when a mommy friend was looking for a rag doll for her daughter. Which made me realise, my own daughter doesn't really have one herself. Which then led me to think that I could make one for her - pfftt what with all my crafty skills, it'd be a piece of cake! It resulted in a doll with a head and arms 2 sizes smaller than it's body. No worries, I told myself. I'll just call it Prototype A.

I persevered. I went doll-making tutorial hunting on Google. I pinned. I followed instructions. And here she is, the fruit of my labor....

Meet...um....Doll.

Her skin was harvested from a 100% cotton Ikea bedsheet. She's stuffed with Malaysian kapok cotton. Her head is a ball of yarn and cotton, lined with an old pantyhose of mine. Her face lovingly handstitched. Her hair, painstakingly attached, strand by arduous strand, onto a crocheted cap. I tell ya, I shed blood (from pricked fingers) and sweat (I have sweaty palms) making her. It wasn't easy but definitely worth all the effort.

She's not perfect but she'll do for now, until I recover from post traumatic doll-making stress disorder and start a new obsession.

Thank God a good friend gifted me her dress. I would've died if I had to make her a dress too!

I did make shoes for her though.

I think every little girl should have a rag doll to call her own. No, not every mother has to make one for her daughter. I know I went the extra mile. You see, I'm a sucker for heirlooms and I thought it'd be nice to hear her say to her daughter one day "your grandmother made this for me, and now it's yours". Hah!

Doll would bring a refreshing change into our household . Her plastic counterparts have somewhat invaded my daughter's toy box. We may have a serious infestation of Barbie dolls that might get out of hand if I don't do something about it soon. Here's a case in point...

"Optimus Prime" hanging out with the girls....

Nah, nothing wrong with that really. Barbie's just not my thing. I can handle one or two, but not six. Yes, my soon-to-be 3-year-old daughter already has 6 Barbies in her possession. At the rate she's going she'll have 20 by the time she's 10. Gee, I only had 1 in my lifetime and in those days owning just ONE Barbie doll was such a luxury. Times have changed.

Well, Doll, I'm handing you over to a 3-year-old tyrant this Sunday. Just kidding, she's really an adorable little girl who'd make your heart melt and your head hurt sometimes. I hope she will enjoy playing with you and having you as her companion when her mommy's too busy to entertain her. I hope she'll love you and have wonderful memories of times spent having you by her side. I hope she doesn't yank out your beautiful arms and legs. I hope she will, one day, have a daughter of her own and say to her "my mother, your grandmother, made this for me with her blood and sweat, and now it's yours". I hope her daughter will be a sucker for heirlooms too.

More Reasons To Love Ikea

Don't you just love Ikea? I know I do. I bet every household in the world has something from Ikea. Don't you love looking at their fun and quirky designs? Heck I even love trying to say the quirky names they have for their quirky designs. Don't you just love their showrooms? So cosy and comfortable. I could go on and on with the "don't you just love" questions and come up with a hundred and one reasons why I love Ikea.

Okay, 101 reasons I thought would be difficult at first but actually it'd be quite easy - I'd just need to list 101 Ikea items I'd like for my house! I suddenly feel so smart.

I digress. (you know I've always wanted to use this word digress but never really knew how to. I hope I've used it correctly here)

And I digress again.

Well, I've recently discovered one more reason to love Ikea.....

Yes, it's catalogue!

I've been seeing these Kumon cutting books at the bookstores for a while now and thought them a great idea for getting my kids to practise their scissor skills. However, because I'm cheap, I also told myself I wouldn't be caught dead buying a book for my kids to cut up.

And so enters the Ikea Catalogue. Look what I found?

Lots of shapes, curves and zigzags for my kids to try cutting! Didn't cost me a single cent. In fact, Ikea had to spend on postage to send it to me.

As I was flipping the pages for nice curvy, zigzagy images to cut out, my son took an interest in reading the prices of the items. And so, yet another reason to love the Ikea catalogue is born! If you have a kid who's currently into number reading, cut out some images with the price on them so that he can practise reading his numbers in tens, hundreds and thousands.

Step aside Kumon Cutting Book and say hello to your most recent competitor - the Ikea Catalogue!

Disclosure: Ikea did not pay me to mutilate their catalogue. The initiative is 100% my own.

And The Winners Are...

Since I had a WHOPPING number of entries...that didn't come in, it wasn't too difficult to choose a winner the traditional way....

Here's V.I.P. 1 drawing two names.

V.I.P. 2 doing her part.

And the winners picked for Buddy & Vernon's giveaway contest are...

CONGRATULATIONS!!

Each of you has just won a copy of Buddy & Vernon's Adventures Vol. 1!

Thank you all for participating.

Have a lovely weekend and may you keep sane during the school holidays!