Tuesday, June 30, 2009

妈妈和女儿


你看他们有母女像吗?

Monday, June 29, 2009

喝人奶孩子比较聪明?

喝人奶孩子比较聪明?
(13/9/00)
● 何乃强医生(本文作者是华文报咨询团成员)


母乳哺婴是母亲给予婴儿最佳的“礼物”。
  最近有一位美国儿科专家,受邀来新加坡举行一系列有关母乳哺婴的演讲,他有提及以母亲哺乳的孩子长大后较为聪明,这说法是否正确?有何根据?
  儿童发育可以分为两方面:第一是形体的增长,可以以度量衡测出,利用数字记录和比较,这通常称为体格生长(Growth),第二是机能的演进,如孩子的器官形成后的功能,运作和技巧等等,称为发展(Development)或发育。
   一直以来研究儿童营养的专家都是把重点放在孩子体格发育方面,以及测量各种指标如体重、体高或身长、肢体长度、头颅圆周、皮下脂肪厚度等等,看看孩子有 没有长胖长高。同时也观察孩子是否患有有缺乏碳水化合物、蛋白质、维生素、矿物质所引起的营养不良病症。很多人都知道,喝人奶的孩子患上腹泻、哮喘、敏 感、痴肥、高血压的机会也较低。
近年来研究的重点:营养与智力发展的关系
  不过,近年来营养学研究已经把焦点着重在人类生理发展方面,注重身体各系统机能是否运作正常,例如孩子抽象概念的发展,如何解决面对问 题和他所运用的方法,对所见所问又怎样反应和处理,语言表达、记忆、观察力等各项智力发展,简括而言,那就是幼儿期营养如何使到日后的孩子会更聪明。
  最近在医学杂志,营养学杂志上发表了很多论文。报道称,论证指出吃母乳的婴儿是会比较聪明。这些研究报告是来自不同国家。
   在纽西兰,研究人员花了很多年的时间,追访喂母乳的孩子们的观察力、辨别能力,以及他们日后学业成绩。研究员也搜集了婴儿在头一年吃母乳的各项资料,然 后等到这些婴儿到了8至18岁时,替他们作智商测验,评定智力水平,记下他们在学校的考试及格率,以及老师对他们的学习表现评估,例如阅读能力、理解、数 学等。
吃母乳期间长 孩子的智商较高
  这项研究显示,吃母乳的期间越长,到了八九岁时的智商也较高;在10到13岁时他们的阅读理解能力也较佳;从8到12这段年龄,他们的数学、阅读能力都比人强。
  西班牙也研究了229名两岁以下的孩童,发觉少吃母乳的婴儿的智能和动作发展较为逊色。研究人员认为母乳哺养增进亲子关系,加强婴儿对外界感官刺激的反应。
   而在荷兰,研究人员比较了两组年龄9岁的儿童。第一组总共有135人,他们在婴儿期都喂母乳;第二组有391人,在婴儿期喝的是配方奶(或者还没到满月 就同时喝人奶及配方奶),检验这两组孩子的神经发育情形。研究结果显示那些被验出有轻度神经系统障碍的孩童,以第二组的孩童居多,为前者的两倍。这些障碍 影响孩子在学的行为及辨别能力。
  该报告推论,孩童所以如此,可能与(1)心理因素(哺乳有较密切亲子关系),(2)母乳含促甲状腺激素 (TSH)(刺激脑部发育),和(3)母乳含有大量的长链多不饱和脂酸(Long Chain Polyunsaturated Fatty Acids,简称LCPUFA)有关。
  苏格兰的研究也认为婴儿吸取长链多不饱和脂酸能够帮助孩子智力发展,这尤其是他的记忆力和集中力这两方面,更为重要。
   其实最早的研究报告是发表于1992年,那是剑桥大学路卡士(Alan Lucus)教授的论文。他花了十多年的时间去研究早产婴儿的智力发育,有了惊人的发现。这些用母乳喂养的婴儿,在8岁时的智商便高于用配方奶哺养的婴 儿。比他们的智商高了8点。这主要原因可能是母乳含大量的奥美家—3组(omega 3)的脂酸。通常早产婴儿的脑部只有少量的奥美家—3组脂酸。
   母乳内含大量长链多不饱和脂酸。长链多不饱和脂酸以奥美家—3组以及奥美家—6组脂酸(omega6)为主要成分。奥美家—3组脂酸包括了DHA (docosahexaenoic acids 或22碳6烯酸)and EPA (eicosapentaenoic acid 或20碳5烯酸)两种脂酸,这些化学名称很长,一般人惯用简称:DHA,EPA。
缺乏奥美家—3组的脂酸 会损害脑部和视网膜发育
  人体缺乏奥美家—3组的脂酸会损害脑部和视网膜发育。人体本身能够制造其他种类的长链多不饱和脂酸,但是却不能有效的去制造奥美家—3和奥美家—6这两组的脂酸,而得靠外源(食物如鱼类、胡桃、亚麻籽等)供给补充。幸好母乳能够提供这两组已经制造好的脂酸。
  神经系统如大脑的细胞膜含有大量的长链多不饱和脂酸。早产儿研究发现DHA是和促进神经发育有关。同时,视网膜的感光器也含大量的DHA,间接指出DHA对婴儿的视觉有很大的影响。
   当然,只以为在饮食或配方奶里面加进长链多不饱和脂酸就能促使智力增长这说法,似乎还是言之过早,还需要进一步的科研,确保吸取奥美家—3组脂酸绝对安 全,没有远期的不良影响。刚才提到细胞膜含有大量的长链多不饱和脂酸,所以很容易被氧离子破坏,引起出血、溶血症等不良作用,可能需要服用抗氧化剂预防不 良后果。而且过多的DHA及EPA会使早产儿的花生四烯酸(arachidonic acid)减低,影响发育。而且DHA和EPA会产生互相竞争现象,有必要调整食物中这两种脂酸的比例。
母乳内很多化学物质 含量还没完全准确测出
  美国的食品药物管理局(FDA或 Food & Drug Administration)的婴儿营养专家沃灵福(Wallingford)指出,母乳内很多化学物质的含量还没完全准确测出。母乳里所含很多的微量 物质,直到最近才被发现。当然婴儿食品商对新的营养知识和新的发现都会很快作出反应,改良它的产品,加进了新发现的物质,让婴儿能获得像母乳般的营养。不 过,母乳和配方奶还是有所差别。配方奶还不能够像母乳一样含有抵抗疾病的物质如免疫细胞、荷尔蒙、酵素、免疫蛋白、抗炎物质等等。目前这些物质还未能用人 工复制。
  母乳哺婴最大的差别是母乳所含的物质是跟着婴儿的需求而改变和调整。所以在母乳哺养过程中,开始时婴儿所吸入的母乳和婴儿快将 喝饱时的母乳所含的东西是迥然不同的。为了满足母亲自己的婴儿所要求,不同的妇女所分泌的乳汁也是不一,甚至婴儿每顿所吃的又是不同,“食谱”可说是多样 化。至于配方奶所能供应的只是固定同样的“食谱”,没有随婴儿所需而随时变化。当然这就不符合婴儿生理需求。总的来说以母乳哺婴还是母亲给予婴儿最佳的 “礼物”。

Yang Yang open durian

2 years old boy dare to open durian!!!

Sunday, June 21, 2009

Crochet Snow Leprechaun







Crochet Snow Leprechaun

This is my first crochet Snow Leprechaun. I made it for my “zai-zai”. The workmanship doesn't look neat, cute right...

The snow leprechaun boots should be in black color, i do not have black color yarn i replace it by using white color.

The step to crochet this snow man is for skill level intermediate/advance. I think it also should be suitable for those beginners like me. As the stitch involved are as follow:

SC - Single Crochet
SL ST - Slip Stitch
SC DEC - Single Crochet Decrease
ST - Stitch
MC - Magic Circle

Single Crochet Decrease - Insert your hook in the first single crochet, wrap the yarn over your hook, pull through the loop, leave the 2 loops on your hook. Insert the hook in to the next loop. Wrap the yarn over your hook and pull through. You will have 3 loops on your hook. Pull through all 3 loops to make the single crochet decrease.

Continual Round - Instead of joining at the end of a round, do a single crochet in the first stitch. The purpose of the continual round is to eliminate ugly seams that will appear with joining.

Ending Continual Round - There will be a ridge from the last stitch of the continual round. To end the round even, skip 1 stitch and slip stitch in the next. This will even out the round.

NOTE: This project provides two techniques to start rounds.

Magic Circle Foundation - The magic circle is an alternative to the chain start and will give a nice tight closure to the beginning circle.

Chain Foundation - The magic circle can be replaced with a chain start. For this project you can start with a chain 3 or 4, adjusting the chain size as needed.

Body
Green Yarn
Magic Circle or Chain 4, join.
Round 1: 6 Single Crochet in the loop, do not join. (6 single crochet total)
Round 2: 2 SC in ea SC around (12 single crochet total) This is where you may want to mark your round with a yarn marker.
Round 3: 2 SC in ea SC around (24 single crochet total)
Round 4-9: 1 SC in ea SC around (24 single crochet total)
This is where a color change will take place. Skip 1 single crochet and slip stitch in the next SC, pull the yarn through, cut and put to secure the yarn.

White Yarn
Slip stitch in the next color of yarn.
Round 10-16: 1 SC in ea SC around (24 single crochet total) Stuff the body with stuffing.
Round 17: 1 Single Crochet, SC DEC, (12 single crochet total)
Round 18: Work 6 single crochet decrease total.
Weave the tail through the last round of stitches, knot and secure the tail. Hide the thread.

Head
Magic Circle or Chain 4, join
Round 1: 6 Single Crochet in the loop, do not join. (6 single crochet total)
Round 2: 2 SC in ea SC around (12 single crochet total) This is where you may want to mark your round with a yarn marker.
Round 3: 2 SC in ea SC around (24 single crochet total)
Round 4: 1 SC in ea SC around (24 single crochet total)
Round 5: 1 SC in next ST, 2 SC in next ST (36 single crochet total)
Round 6-12: 1 SC in ea SC around (36 single crochet total)
Round 13: *1 SC in the next ST, 1 SC DC, continue around from * (24 single crochet total)
Round 14: 1 SC in ea SC around (24 single crochet total) Stuff the head with stuffing
Round 15: Work 12 single crochet decrease (12 single crochet total)
Round 16: Work 6 single crochet decrease (6 single crochet total)
Weave the yarn through the stitches pulling the hole shut. Knot and secure. Hide the tail.
Sew the head and body together stitching around rounds 2 on each piece.

Hat
Magic Circle or Chain 4, join.
Round 1: 6 Single Crochet in the loop, do not join. (6 single crochet total) Work in a continual round.
Round 2: 2 SC in ea SC around (12 single crochet total) This is where you may want to mark your round with a yarn marker.
Round 3: 2 SC in ea SC around (24 single crochet total)
Round 4-10: 1 SC in ea SC around (24 single crochet total)
Round 11: 2 SC in ea SC around (48 single crochet total)
Round 12: 1 SC in ea SC around (48 single crochet total)
The end the continual round, Skip 1 SC and SL ST in the next, cut yarn and secure. Cut a length of yarn for sewing the hat to the head.



Leg - Make 2
Green Yarn
Chain 12, join
Round 1: CH 1, 12 single crochet through the loop. Do not join. The rest of the leg will be worked in a continual round. This is where you can attach a yarn marker to show the first and last stitch of each round.
Round 2-11: 1 SC in ea SC around. (12 SC total)
Skip 1 stitch, SL ST in the next to even out the round. Cut the yarn, secure and change color.
Boot
Black Yarn
Slip stitch the yarn anywhere on round 11 of the leg.
Round 12: CH 1, 2 SC in ea of the next 4 stitches. The increases are shaping the top of the boot. 1 SC in ea of the next 8 St's. (16 SC total) Do not join and work in continual round.
Round 13: 1 SC in ea of the next 16 St's. (16 SC total)
Round 14: 1 SC in ea of the next 8 Sts. 4 SC decreases. The decreases are shaping the heel of the boot. (12 SC total)
Round 15: 6 single crochet decrease (6 Single Crochet)
Weave the yarn through the last stitches and sew shut. Stuff the leg with fiberfill.

Arm - Make 2
White Yarn
Chain 8, join
Round 1: CH 1, 8 SC through the loop, do not join. The round will be worked in a continual round. This is where you may want to use a yarn marker to mark the rounds.
Round 2-11: 1 SC in ea SC around. (8 SC total)
Slip Stitch the end of the arm together. Stuff the Arm with fiberfill.
Shamrock Hand
Magic Circle
*CH 1, 2 HDC in loop, CH 1 SL ST in loop, complete 3 times from *, (3 leaves total)
CH 4, for the stem. Cut the yarn leaving a length of tail for attaching to the arm. Sew the shamrock and stem to the arm.

Scarf
Chain 50, 1 HDC in ea CH across. Sew on to the neck area.

Tuesday, June 30, 2009

妈妈和女儿


你看他们有母女像吗?

Monday, June 29, 2009

喝人奶孩子比较聪明?

喝人奶孩子比较聪明?
(13/9/00)
● 何乃强医生(本文作者是华文报咨询团成员)


母乳哺婴是母亲给予婴儿最佳的“礼物”。
  最近有一位美国儿科专家,受邀来新加坡举行一系列有关母乳哺婴的演讲,他有提及以母亲哺乳的孩子长大后较为聪明,这说法是否正确?有何根据?
  儿童发育可以分为两方面:第一是形体的增长,可以以度量衡测出,利用数字记录和比较,这通常称为体格生长(Growth),第二是机能的演进,如孩子的器官形成后的功能,运作和技巧等等,称为发展(Development)或发育。
   一直以来研究儿童营养的专家都是把重点放在孩子体格发育方面,以及测量各种指标如体重、体高或身长、肢体长度、头颅圆周、皮下脂肪厚度等等,看看孩子有 没有长胖长高。同时也观察孩子是否患有有缺乏碳水化合物、蛋白质、维生素、矿物质所引起的营养不良病症。很多人都知道,喝人奶的孩子患上腹泻、哮喘、敏 感、痴肥、高血压的机会也较低。
近年来研究的重点:营养与智力发展的关系
  不过,近年来营养学研究已经把焦点着重在人类生理发展方面,注重身体各系统机能是否运作正常,例如孩子抽象概念的发展,如何解决面对问 题和他所运用的方法,对所见所问又怎样反应和处理,语言表达、记忆、观察力等各项智力发展,简括而言,那就是幼儿期营养如何使到日后的孩子会更聪明。
  最近在医学杂志,营养学杂志上发表了很多论文。报道称,论证指出吃母乳的婴儿是会比较聪明。这些研究报告是来自不同国家。
   在纽西兰,研究人员花了很多年的时间,追访喂母乳的孩子们的观察力、辨别能力,以及他们日后学业成绩。研究员也搜集了婴儿在头一年吃母乳的各项资料,然 后等到这些婴儿到了8至18岁时,替他们作智商测验,评定智力水平,记下他们在学校的考试及格率,以及老师对他们的学习表现评估,例如阅读能力、理解、数 学等。
吃母乳期间长 孩子的智商较高
  这项研究显示,吃母乳的期间越长,到了八九岁时的智商也较高;在10到13岁时他们的阅读理解能力也较佳;从8到12这段年龄,他们的数学、阅读能力都比人强。
  西班牙也研究了229名两岁以下的孩童,发觉少吃母乳的婴儿的智能和动作发展较为逊色。研究人员认为母乳哺养增进亲子关系,加强婴儿对外界感官刺激的反应。
   而在荷兰,研究人员比较了两组年龄9岁的儿童。第一组总共有135人,他们在婴儿期都喂母乳;第二组有391人,在婴儿期喝的是配方奶(或者还没到满月 就同时喝人奶及配方奶),检验这两组孩子的神经发育情形。研究结果显示那些被验出有轻度神经系统障碍的孩童,以第二组的孩童居多,为前者的两倍。这些障碍 影响孩子在学的行为及辨别能力。
  该报告推论,孩童所以如此,可能与(1)心理因素(哺乳有较密切亲子关系),(2)母乳含促甲状腺激素 (TSH)(刺激脑部发育),和(3)母乳含有大量的长链多不饱和脂酸(Long Chain Polyunsaturated Fatty Acids,简称LCPUFA)有关。
  苏格兰的研究也认为婴儿吸取长链多不饱和脂酸能够帮助孩子智力发展,这尤其是他的记忆力和集中力这两方面,更为重要。
   其实最早的研究报告是发表于1992年,那是剑桥大学路卡士(Alan Lucus)教授的论文。他花了十多年的时间去研究早产婴儿的智力发育,有了惊人的发现。这些用母乳喂养的婴儿,在8岁时的智商便高于用配方奶哺养的婴 儿。比他们的智商高了8点。这主要原因可能是母乳含大量的奥美家—3组(omega 3)的脂酸。通常早产婴儿的脑部只有少量的奥美家—3组脂酸。
   母乳内含大量长链多不饱和脂酸。长链多不饱和脂酸以奥美家—3组以及奥美家—6组脂酸(omega6)为主要成分。奥美家—3组脂酸包括了DHA (docosahexaenoic acids 或22碳6烯酸)and EPA (eicosapentaenoic acid 或20碳5烯酸)两种脂酸,这些化学名称很长,一般人惯用简称:DHA,EPA。
缺乏奥美家—3组的脂酸 会损害脑部和视网膜发育
  人体缺乏奥美家—3组的脂酸会损害脑部和视网膜发育。人体本身能够制造其他种类的长链多不饱和脂酸,但是却不能有效的去制造奥美家—3和奥美家—6这两组的脂酸,而得靠外源(食物如鱼类、胡桃、亚麻籽等)供给补充。幸好母乳能够提供这两组已经制造好的脂酸。
  神经系统如大脑的细胞膜含有大量的长链多不饱和脂酸。早产儿研究发现DHA是和促进神经发育有关。同时,视网膜的感光器也含大量的DHA,间接指出DHA对婴儿的视觉有很大的影响。
   当然,只以为在饮食或配方奶里面加进长链多不饱和脂酸就能促使智力增长这说法,似乎还是言之过早,还需要进一步的科研,确保吸取奥美家—3组脂酸绝对安 全,没有远期的不良影响。刚才提到细胞膜含有大量的长链多不饱和脂酸,所以很容易被氧离子破坏,引起出血、溶血症等不良作用,可能需要服用抗氧化剂预防不 良后果。而且过多的DHA及EPA会使早产儿的花生四烯酸(arachidonic acid)减低,影响发育。而且DHA和EPA会产生互相竞争现象,有必要调整食物中这两种脂酸的比例。
母乳内很多化学物质 含量还没完全准确测出
  美国的食品药物管理局(FDA或 Food & Drug Administration)的婴儿营养专家沃灵福(Wallingford)指出,母乳内很多化学物质的含量还没完全准确测出。母乳里所含很多的微量 物质,直到最近才被发现。当然婴儿食品商对新的营养知识和新的发现都会很快作出反应,改良它的产品,加进了新发现的物质,让婴儿能获得像母乳般的营养。不 过,母乳和配方奶还是有所差别。配方奶还不能够像母乳一样含有抵抗疾病的物质如免疫细胞、荷尔蒙、酵素、免疫蛋白、抗炎物质等等。目前这些物质还未能用人 工复制。
  母乳哺婴最大的差别是母乳所含的物质是跟着婴儿的需求而改变和调整。所以在母乳哺养过程中,开始时婴儿所吸入的母乳和婴儿快将 喝饱时的母乳所含的东西是迥然不同的。为了满足母亲自己的婴儿所要求,不同的妇女所分泌的乳汁也是不一,甚至婴儿每顿所吃的又是不同,“食谱”可说是多样 化。至于配方奶所能供应的只是固定同样的“食谱”,没有随婴儿所需而随时变化。当然这就不符合婴儿生理需求。总的来说以母乳哺婴还是母亲给予婴儿最佳的 “礼物”。

Yang Yang open durian

2 years old boy dare to open durian!!!

Sunday, June 21, 2009

Crochet Snow Leprechaun







Crochet Snow Leprechaun

This is my first crochet Snow Leprechaun. I made it for my “zai-zai”. The workmanship doesn't look neat, cute right...

The snow leprechaun boots should be in black color, i do not have black color yarn i replace it by using white color.

The step to crochet this snow man is for skill level intermediate/advance. I think it also should be suitable for those beginners like me. As the stitch involved are as follow:

SC - Single Crochet
SL ST - Slip Stitch
SC DEC - Single Crochet Decrease
ST - Stitch
MC - Magic Circle

Single Crochet Decrease - Insert your hook in the first single crochet, wrap the yarn over your hook, pull through the loop, leave the 2 loops on your hook. Insert the hook in to the next loop. Wrap the yarn over your hook and pull through. You will have 3 loops on your hook. Pull through all 3 loops to make the single crochet decrease.

Continual Round - Instead of joining at the end of a round, do a single crochet in the first stitch. The purpose of the continual round is to eliminate ugly seams that will appear with joining.

Ending Continual Round - There will be a ridge from the last stitch of the continual round. To end the round even, skip 1 stitch and slip stitch in the next. This will even out the round.

NOTE: This project provides two techniques to start rounds.

Magic Circle Foundation - The magic circle is an alternative to the chain start and will give a nice tight closure to the beginning circle.

Chain Foundation - The magic circle can be replaced with a chain start. For this project you can start with a chain 3 or 4, adjusting the chain size as needed.

Body
Green Yarn
Magic Circle or Chain 4, join.
Round 1: 6 Single Crochet in the loop, do not join. (6 single crochet total)
Round 2: 2 SC in ea SC around (12 single crochet total) This is where you may want to mark your round with a yarn marker.
Round 3: 2 SC in ea SC around (24 single crochet total)
Round 4-9: 1 SC in ea SC around (24 single crochet total)
This is where a color change will take place. Skip 1 single crochet and slip stitch in the next SC, pull the yarn through, cut and put to secure the yarn.

White Yarn
Slip stitch in the next color of yarn.
Round 10-16: 1 SC in ea SC around (24 single crochet total) Stuff the body with stuffing.
Round 17: 1 Single Crochet, SC DEC, (12 single crochet total)
Round 18: Work 6 single crochet decrease total.
Weave the tail through the last round of stitches, knot and secure the tail. Hide the thread.

Head
Magic Circle or Chain 4, join
Round 1: 6 Single Crochet in the loop, do not join. (6 single crochet total)
Round 2: 2 SC in ea SC around (12 single crochet total) This is where you may want to mark your round with a yarn marker.
Round 3: 2 SC in ea SC around (24 single crochet total)
Round 4: 1 SC in ea SC around (24 single crochet total)
Round 5: 1 SC in next ST, 2 SC in next ST (36 single crochet total)
Round 6-12: 1 SC in ea SC around (36 single crochet total)
Round 13: *1 SC in the next ST, 1 SC DC, continue around from * (24 single crochet total)
Round 14: 1 SC in ea SC around (24 single crochet total) Stuff the head with stuffing
Round 15: Work 12 single crochet decrease (12 single crochet total)
Round 16: Work 6 single crochet decrease (6 single crochet total)
Weave the yarn through the stitches pulling the hole shut. Knot and secure. Hide the tail.
Sew the head and body together stitching around rounds 2 on each piece.

Hat
Magic Circle or Chain 4, join.
Round 1: 6 Single Crochet in the loop, do not join. (6 single crochet total) Work in a continual round.
Round 2: 2 SC in ea SC around (12 single crochet total) This is where you may want to mark your round with a yarn marker.
Round 3: 2 SC in ea SC around (24 single crochet total)
Round 4-10: 1 SC in ea SC around (24 single crochet total)
Round 11: 2 SC in ea SC around (48 single crochet total)
Round 12: 1 SC in ea SC around (48 single crochet total)
The end the continual round, Skip 1 SC and SL ST in the next, cut yarn and secure. Cut a length of yarn for sewing the hat to the head.



Leg - Make 2
Green Yarn
Chain 12, join
Round 1: CH 1, 12 single crochet through the loop. Do not join. The rest of the leg will be worked in a continual round. This is where you can attach a yarn marker to show the first and last stitch of each round.
Round 2-11: 1 SC in ea SC around. (12 SC total)
Skip 1 stitch, SL ST in the next to even out the round. Cut the yarn, secure and change color.
Boot
Black Yarn
Slip stitch the yarn anywhere on round 11 of the leg.
Round 12: CH 1, 2 SC in ea of the next 4 stitches. The increases are shaping the top of the boot. 1 SC in ea of the next 8 St's. (16 SC total) Do not join and work in continual round.
Round 13: 1 SC in ea of the next 16 St's. (16 SC total)
Round 14: 1 SC in ea of the next 8 Sts. 4 SC decreases. The decreases are shaping the heel of the boot. (12 SC total)
Round 15: 6 single crochet decrease (6 Single Crochet)
Weave the yarn through the last stitches and sew shut. Stuff the leg with fiberfill.

Arm - Make 2
White Yarn
Chain 8, join
Round 1: CH 1, 8 SC through the loop, do not join. The round will be worked in a continual round. This is where you may want to use a yarn marker to mark the rounds.
Round 2-11: 1 SC in ea SC around. (8 SC total)
Slip Stitch the end of the arm together. Stuff the Arm with fiberfill.
Shamrock Hand
Magic Circle
*CH 1, 2 HDC in loop, CH 1 SL ST in loop, complete 3 times from *, (3 leaves total)
CH 4, for the stem. Cut the yarn leaving a length of tail for attaching to the arm. Sew the shamrock and stem to the arm.

Scarf
Chain 50, 1 HDC in ea CH across. Sew on to the neck area.