Chinese steamed fish recipe

I love Chinese steamed fish.  It's so easy to make and very good with rice.  Here's how I steam my fish...

What you need:
1. A live fish that has been gutted and cleaned. I usually buy the white Tilapia from the Chinese grocery stores because they are fresh and relatively inexpensive.
2. 1/4 cup Lee Kum Kee Seasoned Soy Sauce for Seafood (or dissolve 2 tbsp of sugar into 1/4 cup light soy sauce)
3. Ginger and green onion
4. 2 tbsp of oil

How to do it:
1. Clean and wash fish.  Ensure there are no scales left on the fish and dry both inside and outside with paper towel.
2. Put some ginger slices into the stomach of the fish.
3. If fish is already at room temperature, steam for 10 min for 1 lb, 13 min for 1.5 lb, 16 min for 2 lb.
4. Cut some ginger and green onion into slivers and set aside
5. When fish is ready, heat oil in pan.
6. Place ginger and green onion slivers on fish and drizzle the hot oil on top.  You should hear a sizzle sound.
7. Pour the soy sauce mixture on top.
8. Enjoy!

Reno update

Yay!  After 1.5 months, the renos are (almost) done.  The results are amazing.  I have new kitchen floor tiles, potlights in the living room, a 'Harry Potter' closet under the stairs (aka Swiffer closet), a brand new bathroom with a super strong industrial flush toilet, a super deep tub, an undermount sink with quartz countertop, rain shower, triple shower door, and hardwood stairs.  The only thing remaining to be done is my ensuite bathroom (toilet, air vent, and medicine cabinet), and a few more steps for the stairs.  I love my newly renovated home!

My mom

I have to vent about my mom.  She is here to "help" me during my "confinement period".  Sounds nice other than she doesn't know how to cook, she doesn't like to clean and all she wants to do is to go out, talk on the phone, and watch TV.  She tries to be helpful where she can, i.e. fold clothes, do dishes, burp the baby, etc...  Here are a few snippets of our interactions so far:

Interaction #1 (first thing in the morning)
Mom: when your cleaning lady comes, tell her to clean the fridge.
What I thought: Why don't you clean it, it's not like you have anything to do.
What I said: The cleaning lady is here for 3 hours every other week.  Do you want her to clean the bathroom or clean the fridge?

Interaction #2 (while I'm cooking fried rice for myself as she holds the baby)
Mom: is that all the rice you are going to have?
What I thought: Since I haven't even taken the rice out of the fridge yet, she must be referring to the three eggs that I just scrambled to put into the fried rice.  She can't even tell the difference between eggs and rice?!
What I said: These are eggs.

Interaction #3 (while she's preparing a steam fish because she just told me that she knows how to do it)
Mom: do you put the oil in with the fish to steam?
What I thought: I thought she said she knows how to cook the fish.
What I said: No, I have to cook the oil separately and pour it on the fish after it has steamed.

Interaction #4 (the water has boiled and she's getting ready to put the fish into the steamer)
Mom: do I put the whole plate in?

What I thought: No mom, you have to cut the plate in half in order to steam the whole fish.

What I said: Yes.

I have to endure this until Dec 6th.  

it's like riding a bike

ACL is 4 days old today.  As a 2nd time mom, all the memories from being a first time mom is coming back.  I remember breastfeeding, dealing with engorgement, being (TMI) constipated, feeling like a human pacifier, enduring the sleepless nights, being amazed at the tiny little fingers with ultra sharp nails, and most of all, staring at this brand new human being that God has entrusted us with to bring up in this world.

Introducing Ainsley Charlotte Law

Ainsley Charlotte Law was born on Thursday Oct 7, 2010 at 10:18pm
Weight: 6lbs 7oz

My original due date was Friday Oct 22.  On Thursday Oct 7 at noon, I went to my 38th week doctor's appointment. I had had some spotting since the night before and when he checked my blood pressure, it was slightly elevated (145/95). So he did an internal exam (ouch) and I was already 3cm dilated. He told me that I should go into the hospital today to get induced. So he called the hospital and they told me to come in at 3pm. This was actually a blessing in disguise because I was most nervous about how to get my son taken care of when I go into labour but this way, we were all very calm and we were able to get my son from preschool and settled with my SIL before we went to the hospital. We got to the hospital and they started to monitor me. I was having mild contractions that I couldn't feel so they told me to come back when there was a room available. At 6pm, they finally put me into a room and they broke my water and started the pitocin around 6:30pm. I was 4cm at that time. By 8pm, I still couldn't really feel the contractions and by 8:30pm, my doctor checked me again and I was still at 4cm. He said he would be back at 10:30pm. As soon as he left, my contractions started to pick up and by 9:30pm, I started feeling a lot of pressure in my rectum. I asked the nurse what I should do and she said I shouldn't push. A few contractions later, I told (or screamed at) my husband to push the button to call the nurse because I felt like I needed to push. She came and checked me and I was fully dilated. They called the doctor right away and the next 30 minutes was the longest 30 minutes of my life. He got there at 10:15pm and Ainsley was born at 10:18pm after just 1 push.

I got what I wanted with no epidural and recovery has been so much better this time despite getting a 2nd degree tear. Ainsley is perfect (of course I am biased), no jaundice and is already a great latcher.