And So It Begins.

As of 27th December 2010, the baby has officially started Mamil Gold formula. First attempt was by me, and he drank a couple of gulps and made funny faces at the taste of the milk. Second attempt was by the Mother's maid, and he drank about 3 ounces. Third attempt was also by the maid, and he drank 4 ounces. No funny faces anymore! So far he has no allergy reaction towards the formula, Alhamdulillah. I thought I would get all emotional but turns out I handled it a lot better than I expected. Well, I would probably will when he finally wean off the boobies.

Anyway, it's the new year's eve, people! What are your plans for tonight? I'm getting too old for all the hoo-haas. But then again, 'hoo-haa' for me was going to Bangsar/ Bukit Bintang's street parties. That was the most happening I could get back then :P So for this year, it'll just be a small family BBQ for me. Whatever your plan is, just remember to be safe! And let us pray for a better year ahead. Happy 2011 :)

Stools and Honey.

It's funny how there are some parents who spend most of their waking hours online, can't even be bothered to do some readings on babies. They know everything when it comes to celebrities gossips or the latest fashion, but when their small baby didn't pass stool for 3 days, they gave the baby some honey. Konon it will help the baby to release some 'brown hostages'.

Okay firstly, the baby is fully breastfeeding so it is normal for them to not pass stool for a few days.

BABYCENTER: HOW MANY TIMES A DAY DOES A BREASTFED BABY NORMALLY POOP?

Expert Answers.
Susan Condon, lactation consultant.

What goes in must come out, so just about every feeding in the early weeks following birth should produce a bowel movement. The number and type of movements your baby has will indicate whether he's getting enough to eat.

During the meconium phase (the first few days after birth), your baby may have four or five tarry, dark, greenish-black stools spread out over two or three days. As your colostrum develops into mature milk, he should have at least two to five bowel movements in a 24-hour period for the first six weeks. He may even have had a bowel movement every time you change his diaper throughout the day.

After six weeks, it's normal for some babies to have fewer bowel movements, though others may continue having frequent ones. Don't be alarmed if your baby has a bowel movement only once a week. He's not constipated unless his stools are hard and dry. If your baby's producing loose, unformed stools with a pea soup consistency and cottage cheese-like curds, he's getting a good balance of foremilk and hindmilk. Don't be concerned if his diaper overflows!

Once your exclusively breastfed baby begins eating solids (between 6 and 8 months of age), his stools will get firmer and have a stronger odor.

And secondly, what were you thinking giving the baby honey?!

BABYCENTER.COM: FOODS THAT CAN BE UNSAFE FOR YOUR BABY

Honey: Honey can harbor spores of Clostridium botulinum, which causes botulism. An adult's intestinal tract can prevent the growth of these spores, but in a baby the spores can grow and produce life-threatening toxins.

Please. Do. Some. Readings! I strongly recommend Babycenter.com, it is packed with useful information.

Random Snap 07: Broken English Much?

Spotted at SS2. Gelak guling-guling when I saw this.

Guilty, Yet Again.

For abandoning this blog. I've been lazy, I admit that!

The baby is growing up so fast. Dulu masa kecik tergolek je atas katil, cannot do anything. Now he's running up and down, climbing the tables and stairs, demanding things and throwing tantrums. Aiyoma!

He's turning 18 months in a few days time, and I'm beginning to consider introducing formula milk to him some time in January 2011, and wean off when he turns 24 months in June 2011. Six months to train and to find the suitable formula for him. Should be okay, right?

My milk supply has dropped, so it has been pretty challenging to make stocks for whenever I need to leave him with the in-laws to run some errands (or go out on a date with the husband :P). So. Which formula is recommended? I already have some Mamil Gold samples, perhaps I will start with that. But I am open to options, as long as it doesn't cost a bomb per tin!

He's pretty much obsessed with Thomas & Friends now. Siap pandai unlock the iPod and choose Thomas & Friends game application to play. Budak-budak zaman sekarang. Canggih betul! Whenever he throws a tantrum, just sing Thomas's theme song. Sure senyap terus.

Baby Room - Part 2.

Hello fellow (silent) readers! Yes, I'm well aware that I have more silent readers than the ones that actually interacts with me. But it's alright, I just hope that you enjoy coming to my humble blog :)

Anyways, I apologize for the lack of updates. I've been swamped. Okay, not really. To be honest, I was kinda clueless on what to blog about. I don't want to update just for the sake of updating, y'know? So today, I shall do another post on baby rooms.

I normally use the baby room in Jusco (which I didn't quite enjoy going to) whenever I visit Sunway Pyramid, until I found this baby room. There are more on other floors but the one I frequent to is located nearby Cotton On Kids. It is clean, equipped with a waiting and playing area, kiddies chairs, sinks, thermo pot, hand sanitizer, changing table, and one private breastfeeding room. The breastfeeding room is spacious enough for you fit in the baby's stroller along. Definitely a two thumbs up from me!

Say What Now?

Image from The Royal College of Psychiatrists 

I had a rather.. odd conversation with a single mother of one last weekend. It went something like this:

Me: I'm still breastfeeding.

Single Mother: What?! You're still BREASTFEEDING?!!

Me: *stunned by her outburst* Uh.. Yes.

Single Mother: *slaps her forehead* Oh.. my.. gosh..

Me: Why? What's wrong with that??

Single Mother: No. So, when you breastfeed, tak sakit ke? (touching her abdomen area)

Me: Sakit? No! Why would it be sakit??

Single Mother: No. I mean, you're still young.

Me: I'm sorry, but I don't think I get your point!!

Single Mother: No. I mean, a lot of doctors are not really encouraging breastfeeding nowadays.

Me: *dumbfounded* Huh?! What nonsense! Breast milk IS the best milk for babies. What are you talking about?!

Single Mother: I know giving your own milk will make your baby more obedient, but giving them plain water is good enough.

Me: (starting to lose all means of interest in continuing the conversation) I have to go now.

Mind you, she's a lovely person. But after speaking to her, I had a feeling that something's amiss. So I asked around, and yes, it turns out that she's not quite 'right', due to postpartum depression. The father of her child left her when she was pregnant. Kesian :(

Brand Spankin' New Baby Room.

I am totally digging the new baby room in One Utama!

I was on the way to the ladies, and went all jakun when I saw this. Wasn't planning to breastfeed the baby until later, but changed my mind because it looks so inviting!

It has sofa, magazines and TV in the waiting area, changing tables, height measurement wall, kiddies chairs and table, sink, thermo pot, and about 6 private breastfeeding rooms. And it is (still) very clean! I hope it'll stay this way.

This new baby room is located on the 2nd floor of One Utama's new wing. You won't miss it if you head to the toilet nearby the Maybank ATM machine.

So, no more going to the one in Toys R Us, which is pretty much turning into a dump.

There's even the word 'CHINA' smeared on the wall. I don't know what the person used to smear it with, but it does look kind of like dried blood. Bleurgh. The sight of it is so disturbing that I can't nurse with an eased mind. And it has been there ever since I first started using the baby room, which was almost a year ago. Shame on the management for not maintaining it!

The one in Parkson is not so bad. I don't have pictures of it, though. Perhaps I will for my future entry.

Random Snap 06: Fruit's Sexy Time.

I was going through my groceries receipt and saw this.



Yeah, I am easily amused.

(FYI, the code is for First Choice King Longans. Shorten it and you'll get.. that.)

Kthx.

One Year Anniversary.

Today is the first year anniversary of me officially being a stay-at-home Ibu! How has it been so far? Hmmm, let's see..

It is AWESOME to not have to sulk and worry every Sunday for the fear of getting shouted at during the Monday WIP meeting.

It is AWESOME to wake up every Monday weekday morning and know that I don't have to go to work.

It is AWESOME to not still be in the office at 12 friggin' a.m.

It is AWESOME to have more family time.

It is AWESOME to watch the baby grow up in front of my own eyes.

Okay okay, so it is pretty much awesome all around. However, there are also a few cons..

Unless some freelance job comes in, not so awesome to not get a paycheck every month end.

Unless I bug the husband by calling him every hour while he's in the office, not so awesome to not have adults around to talk to during the day.

Most of all, I miss getting to insult, whack, abuse, attack goof around with these three monkeys.

Tune Hotel @ Waterfront, Kuching.

During raya in Kuching, the three of us stayed at the newly opened Tune Hotel at Waterfront. We paid a total of RM 150 (more or less, I forgot the actual sum) for a 5 days 4 nights stay, plus 36 hours of air-conditioner credit. The room was quite small (ala-ala boleh bergesel bontot if you walk around in the room with another person), but for the price we paid, I've got no complaints. It is clean, has a fan and water-heater. Bear in mind though, that they only provide one face towel, no toiletries, no hairdryer and no TV. Additional item will incur additional cost (just like Air Asia's concept). Unless you don't mind paying, bring all of your own if you're going to stay there.

BUT (there is always a 'but'), there were two things that I was unhappy about. First, we found TWO huge cockroaches in our room. After 5 minutes of screaming and jumping around the room, the husband finally managed to catch it and flush it down the toilet (don't judge him). The second cockroach managed to escape, crawled under the bed and refused to show itself until the day we checked out.

Another thing would be the rude receptionist. The husband and baby were loitering around the lobby and counter area, minding their own business while waiting for me to finish putting on my face upstairs. Then suddenly the receptionist snapped at the husband.

Rude Receptionist Chick: Kitak nak apa?!

Innocent Husband: (terkezut kena sound) Sikda apa-apa.

Rude Receptionist Chick: Kitak sik boleh duduk sini! Sini counter bah!

(Please excuse my Bahasa Sarawak. I don't want to call the husband just to get him to check if this is correct).

Okay, firstly, he was far from standing in front of the counter. Secondly, there was absolutely no reason for her to be so rude. Husband is not the confrontational type, so he just said "Sorry" and left.

These complaints were made when we were checking out. This time, it was a different receptionist and she was a very polite and professional woman. She was very apologetic upon hearing our complaints and promised to look into the matters.

Except those two faults, I must say we were pretty much satisfied with our stay at the hotel. So if you are looking for a budget, clean and strategic place to stay in Kuching, this is the hotel of your choice.

Aidilfitri.

This year's Aidilfitri marks the first time I celebrate raya in Kuching, the hub's kampung. Which also means, the first time I spent the first few days of Aidilfitri away from my family. I had tons of fun in Kuching, and I think I ate enough food to last me the whole month.

On a sadder note, I lost an aunt on the 7th day of Syawal. The last time I saw her was a year ago, which made me feel pretty much sucky for not being able to see her for the last time during raya. May her soul rest in peace.

I hope it is not too late to wish you a very happy Aidilfitri, and tons of apologies if I've offended you in any way.

53rd Merdeka.

Happy Independence Day, Malaysia!


This cab is very patriotic, but not very wise to put up a pole on your vehicle like that because it can just fly off and hit other cars on the road, innit? Very, very dangerous. Snapped on the KESAS Highway, 2 days prior today.

Big Brother Restaurant & Grill.

On Saturday, hubs and I went for break fast at Big Brother Restaurant & Grill since we've been reading lots of promising reviews over the net. One comment that stuck in my head was,

"Big Brother is a hidden gem."

So it has to be good, right?

Located at The Strand, Kota Damansara, it was easy to find. I had the Grilled Chicken Chop (RM13.90) and Spaghetti Seafood Marinara for the hubs (RM16.90). I didn't take any photos, we were too famished to even bother. The chicken chop portion was decent, but the taste was very ordinary, really. The seafood marinara had a generous serving of pasta, mussel, prawn and calamari, BUT the dish was super duper oily, you could mistake it for gravy. Despite all the oil, hubs kind of enjoyed his meal, but I can't say the same for myself. I was quite disappointed. And on our way out, we overheard a man complaining to the waiter about his food being too salty.

The next morning, I woke up with a very unhappy tummy. I ran to the toilet for about 5 times, not that I was counting. The best part was the elevator at the condo seemed to stop at every darn floor when I was ready to burst in my pants (okay, too much detail). I'm assuming it was something I had at Big Brother, because I only had the chicken chop for break fast and Maggi for sahur, and I doubt it was the Maggi that gave me the upset tummy.

So, there you go. It is safe to say that I won't be paying them another visit. Not anytime soon, anyway. But please bear in mind, this was only my experience and opinion. I may have a weaker stomach and a different taste bud from others.

Bumbo Seats On Sale.

I made a quick run to Babyland SS2 this morning, and saw the discount on the Bumbo Seats, which is RM100 off! (retail price is RM249). So it's only RM149 now. Offer ends 31st August 2010. Go go go!


Yeap, he's too big for a Bumbo Seat now. And no, I'm not getting any commission out of this.

Random 002: Why, Hello Blog!

Yes, I've abandoned you for a few weeks now. Truth is, I've been quite busy. A number of freelance jobs came in (Alhamdulillah) that kept me very much occupied (and don't even get me started on the baby). I even pulled an all-nighter, which I haven't done since my agency days. Okay fine, I did pull a lot of all-nighters during my confinement period, but that's not work-related now is it?

Apart from being busy, I've also been lazy. Lazy to open you up and start drafting an entry. But here I am anyway, making a quick one. So please tak nak merajuk, okay?

Silly photo sessions were compulsory when dealing with stress, challenging clients, tight deadlines and late nights in the office. It's good for the soul.

Oh, I know this is a tad late, but happy fasting to all Muslims! :D

Random 001: Boyfriends.

I am happily married, yes. I love dear husband (and of course the baby) more than anything in the world. But I have to admit, I do have boyfriends. Four of them, actually. I'm not ashamed of it, and my husband is well aware about them.


Ohai there, yummy things.

[cue excessive drooling]

Random Snap 04: Panic Button.

Press the Panic Button if you get attacked in the toilet. Or if you suddenly realize they're out of tissues when you're in the midst of sending an urgent message to the Ninja Turtles. Snapped in the Ladies at Bangsar Shopping Center.

Refusing To Eat.

For the past week, the baby has been refusing to eat most of his meals. The only foods he would take are Rusks and bananas (he does enjoy trying to eat inedible stuffs like books and tissues, which is driving me up the wall!). Everything else goes untouched and into the garbage. Mealtime used to be easy and pleasant, now it's turning into a nightmare with all the screaming and foods flying across the room. But thankfully he's nursing as usual, otherwise I would go totally berserk. I don't know if it's the flu or he's just turning into a picky eater. I really hope it's not the latter.

From Baby Center:

David Geller, pediatrician

Toddlers can be finicky eaters. One minute they're in love with a particular dish — spaghetti, for instance — and won't take a bite of it the next. Or they'll decide they hate blueberries without even having tried the fruit. Kids this age are becoming aware of their ability to make their own decisions, sometimes to the frustration of their parents. They also enjoy pushing the limits you impose upon them to see what response they get.

Even though it seems impossible, most picky eaters get enough calories and nutrients from their regular diet, so don't worry that your child will starve if he doesn't have a versatile palate like you do. If your child is gaining weight and getting taller, and has had no developmental problems, he's doing just fine. Make sure his diet is healthy and that the things he does eat aren't junky fare, such as chocolate, chips, or candy. Keep encouraging him to eat all types of food. If he refuses, don't force the issue. Eventually, he'll try foods he once shunned. Don't stop offering them, though — if you never present him with a varied selection, he'll never learn to eat them, and the list of foods he won't eat will grow longer.

Sick Baby

Is it a good thing or a bad thing that your child hardly falls sick? Some say it's good because it shows that he has a strong immune system. And others say it's even better to be exposed to several kinds of illnesses, to build up biological protection in his immune system.

My son is going into 14 months, and this is the third time he fell sick. And to top it off, he fell face down at the clinic, resulting in a bloody and swollen lip.

Aloloo.. Tengok lah muka demam sepuluh sen tuh. Kesiaannn.

Random Snap 03: Fat, Not Phat.

Attention all men,

If you've grown horizontally and can't seem to fit into any of your clothes, fear not! For I have found the perfect place for you.


:D

Recycle!

We've been meaning bring all of our plastic bottles (which had taken a lot of space in our store room, alongside the hubster's Transformers) to Ikano Recycling Centre since donkey years, but weekends seemed to move very fast (or maybe it was just pure procrastination) that we barely had time to do so. Finally last Sunday we got around to it.

Doesn't seem so much, right? But trust me, these plastics are huge and it could accommodate quite a number of bottles.

And for all those, we got paid a grand total of... (drum roll please),

TWO RINGGIT MALAYSIA.

Yeah! We were like rich for about 5 minutes. Then we paid the parking fee. Which was RM2.

So the next time we want to go recycle, I think I'll just go to some random recycling kiosk behind my house.

P/S: How much do you think I would get if I were to recycle the Transformers? Heh.

Money Or Time?

This came to mind while I was preparing breakfast this morning.

What is the best thing you can provide for your children: money or time?

(Obviously putting love aside because those who neglect to provide love for their children do not deserve to be parents).

You work hard day and night, to gain more income to be able to provide a nice and luxurious life for your children. Branded clothes, good education, numerous toys. But at the same time, you're hardly at home to spend more time with them that sometimes, you don't even get to witness them growing up.

Or,

You leave your job to become a stay-at-home parent, to be able to provide more time and attention to your children. Witnessing their milestones, preparing their meals with your own hands, wiping their tears every time they cry. But at the same time, financial gets a bit tight that sometimes, you couldn't shower them with other nice things.

Being able to provide them both money AND time is definitely wonderful, but either one? I really can't decide.

Preparation For Parenthood

CAUTION: Lengthy post ahead! 

I found this via StumbleUpon. Don't get me wrong, being a parent is super great, but these are pretty funny!




Image from LilSugar
PREPARATION FOR PARENTHOOD

It's not just a matter of reading books and decorating the nursery. Here are 12 simple tests for expectant parents to take to prepare themselves for the real-life experience of being a mother or father.

1. Women: To prepare for maternity, put on a dressing gown and stick a pillowcase filled with beans down the front. Leave it there for 9 months. After 9 months, take out 10% of the beans.

Men: To prepare for paternity, go to the local drug store, tip the contents of your wallet on the counter, and tell the pharmacist to help himself. Then go to the supermarket. Arrange to have your salary paid directly to their head office. Go home. Pick up the paper. Read it for the last time.

2. Before you finally go ahead and have children, find a couple who are already parents and berate them about their methods of discipline, lack of patience, appallingly low tolerance levels, and how they have allowed their children to run wild. Suggest ways in which they might improve their child's sleeping habits, toilet training, table manners, and overall behavior. Enjoy it -- it'll be the last time in your life that you will have all the answers.

3. To discover how the nights will feel, walk around the living room from 5 pm to 10 pm carrying a wet bag weighing approximately 8-12 pounds, with a radio turned to static (or some other obnoxious noise) playing loudly. At 10 pm, put the bag down, set the alarm for midnight, and go to sleep. Get up at 12 and walk around the living room again, with the bag, until 1 am. Put the alarm on for 3 am. As you can't get back to sleep, get up at 2 am and make a drink. Go to bed at 2:45 am. Get up again at 3 am when the alarm goes off. Sing songs in the dark until 4 am. Put the alarm on for 5 am. Get up. Make breakfast. Keep this up for 5 years. Look cheerful.

4. Can you stand the mess children make? To find out, first smear peanut butter onto the sofa and jam onto the curtains. Hide a piece of raw chicken behind the stereo and leave it there all summer. Stick your fingers in the flower beds, then rub them on the clean walls. Cover the stains with crayons. How does that look?

5. Dressing small children is not as easy as it seems: first buy an octopus and a bag made out of loose mesh. Attempt to put the octopus into the bag so that none of the arms hang out. Time allowed for this: all morning.

6. Take an egg carton, using a pair of scissors and a pot of paint, turn it into an alligator. Now take the tube from a roll of toilet paper. Using only Scotch tape and a piece of foil, turn it into an attractive Christmas candle. Last, take a milk carton, a ping pong ball, and an empty packet of Cocoa Pops and make an exact replica of the Eiffel Tower. Congratulations! You have just qualified for a place on the play group committee.

7. Forget the BMW and buy a station wagon. And don't think that you can leave it out in the driveway spotless and shining. Family cars don't look like that. Buy a chocolate ice cream cone and put it in the glove compartment. Leave it there. Get a dime. Stick it in the cassette player. Take a family-size package of chocolate cookies. Mash them into the back seats. Run a garden rake along both sides of the car. There. Perfect.

8. Get ready to go out. Wait outside the bathroom for half an hour. Go out the front door. Come in again. Go out. Come back in. Go out again. Walk down the front path. Walk back up it. Walk down it again. Walk very slowly down the road for 5 minutes. Stop to inspect minutely every cigarette butt, piece of used chewing gum, dirty tissue, and dead insect along the way. Retrace your steps. Scream that you've had as much as you can stand until the neighbors come out and stare at you. Give up and go back into the house. You are now just about ready to try taking a small child for a walk.

9. Always repeat everything you say at least five times.

10. Go to your local supermarket. Take with you the nearest thing you can find to a preschool child -- a fully-grown goat is excellent. If you intend to have more than one child, take more than one goat. Buy your week's groceries without letting the goats out of your sight. Pay for everything the goats eat or destroy. Until you can easily accomplish this, do not even contemplate having children.

11. Hollow out a melon. Make a small hole in the side. Suspend it from the ceiling and swing it from side to side. Now get a bowl of soggy Cheerios and attempt to spoon them into the swaying melon by pretending to be an airplane. Continue until half the Cheerios are gone. Tip the rest into your lap, making sure a lot of it falls on the floor. You are now ready to feed a 12-month-old baby.

12. Learn the names of every character from Sesame Street, Barney, and Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles.

When you find yourself singing "I Love You" at work, you finally qualify as a parent.


Source: http://www.stanford.edu/~bfenton/parenting.html

Happy First Birthday - Part 2

Coming up with the birthday concept was the toughest part of the whole party planning, I must say. I'm picky, and I can't stand the typical cartoon-themed birthdays. Barney, Ben 10, Spongebob Squarepants dan sewaktu dengannya. They're cute, sure, but not my cup of tea. Fair enough, it's my son's birthday and not mine, but I have to like it because I'm his mother! BWAHAHAHA.

Okay, moving on.

Long story short, I fell in love with the 'King Of Our Hearts' theme which I saw at a mom's blog (and I cleverly forgot to bookmark it). I did the visuals, hubster was in charge of the printing, and sister-in-law baked heart-shaped sugar cookies for door-gifts. And we even had sponsors! Mom and Mak for the food, sister-in-law for the birthday cake, and another sister-in-law for the balloons. Awesome possum, yeah? :)

Can't wait to start planning for his second birthday!

Happy First Birthday

My intan payung. My jantung hati. My segala-galanya.

Dearest baby,

You just turned one year old. Wow. How did that happen? One minute I was looking at a positive pregnancy test result, and the next thing I know you're already one year old. Time just zoomed by like nobody's business.

To tell you the truth, I was so afraid to have you at first. The responsibility, the change of lifestyle and the expanding of body. I was unsure. Could I do this? Could I really be a good mother to you?

But the moment I held your tiny warm body in my arms for the first time, one year ago, I knew that I would do whatever it takes give you the utmost love, care and attention that you deserve. The expanded body? Pshh. That was just a small price to pay for this wonderful blessing.

Baby,

Ayah and I pray that you'll grow up to be a great person, a person who is religious, who respects his elders, and good to mankind.

Happy first birthday.

Love you insanely,
Ibu.

I'm Weird Like That

I've always been attracted to weird and spooky things since I was little. In primary school I loved to draw pictures of vampires, witches and ghosts. My favourite movie was Nightmare Before Christmas. And a few years back I started collecting some of these Living Dead Dolls.

Precious, aren't they? My ex-manager was horrified when she saw these at my work station.

"Woman! You're pregnant!! You're supposed to be looking at cute things!"

Oh, right.

And this is my car's permanent resident. Please meet Batcat (How original. He actually don't have a name).

Another Milestone

This post is a tad late, but I've been too occupied with the baby, housework and the birthday party preparation. But anyway, last week the baby decided to shock my in-laws and I by walking baby steps! The most steps he had taken was eight. This is one of the milestones that I've been waiting for. But now the day is finally here, I am getting mixed feelings. Happy because he's showing positive developments, and sad because soon he'll no longer need me for everything! I am so overwhelmed by how fast he's growing up (okay, I'm getting tearful now!!)

He'll be running around anytime now and I'll be going crazy chasing after him. An extra workout that I should be looking forward to, eh?

Back From Trip - Part 2

This was our third time to Bandung. We stayed at Rumah Ebo (our second time there), a homestay in the Dago area. What we like about this homestay is that it's cozy, clean and cheap. They even give free breakfast, which is served at their lovely garden. Their location is awesome, too, as it's only 5 minutes walk to the famous Dago factory outlets, like Jetset, Grande, Episode and Blossom.

Husband and I are not really a fan of sightseeing. We prefer to shop. And that's why we enjoy going to Bandung so much. But, unlike most people who go there to shop at the factory outlets, we shop at their distros. For those who have never heard of distros:

"Distro is a shortform of the Indonesian word distribusi, or distribution. Generally distro differ from other youth fashion outlets by their links to the independent music industry, the age of those involved, and collective ownership styles." From TripAdvisor Bandung.

Another thing that we both like to do is eat! At Bandung, the foods are good AND cheap. It can't get any better than that. Just stay away from the stalls by the road sides unless you're in for some food poisoning.

I would have to say we feel safer walking around in Bandung compare to here in Malaysia. The people there mind their own business, we don't get stared or ogled, and we don't have to worry about getting snatched whenever a biker pass by. They may look like they can bite your head off, but once you talk to them, they're actually polite and helpful. However, the way they drive is insane! They're good in the sense that they don't crash into each other, but still, pretty crazy. We've never seen an accident the whole time we were there, not even one. In KL, you see accidents left and right everyday.

Back From Trip

Traveling for the first with a baby (an aggressive one at that) was definitely challenging. We were in Bandung for 4 days. The journey there was not so bad. The first hour of the flight was spent playing with a little bit of tantrum here and there, but for the next hour the baby was asleep until we touched down. We were lucky that there was an empty seat next to us because the extra space made the flight more comfortable. He didn't get any air pressure in his ears, thanks to breastfeeding during take off and being deep in slumber when landing.

The rest of the trip was a fast blur. It was raining almost every day, starting from noon till night so getting around was difficult. The baby refused to eat the banana, avocado and rice cereal that I brought along, so he ended up eating only Farley Rusk's. He didn't seem unsatisfied or hungry, though. So, yeah. Probably it was the change of surrounding. Anyway. When we went shopping, he was either ecstatic to see all the new faces (he can get a bit too friendly) or angry because he wanted to get down on the floor and crawl. Bedtime was not so bad. He's used to sleeping in his cot back home, so he had all the space to himself to roll around before falling asleep. Therefore sharing beds with his Ibu and Ayah on this trip was a bit frustrating for him due to the lack of space. But he complied, such a good boy.

The flight back to Malaysia was almost disastrous. Compare to the plane going to Bandung, this one was smaller. Leg space was so tight, and I'm only 155 cm tall short! The baby was screaming right before take off, fell asleep almost instantly during take off, woke up 30 minutes later and continued throwing tantrums for almost the rest of the flight. There was no empty seat this time around. A teenage boy sat next to us kept throwing irritated looks whenever the baby started screaming and stared whenever I was nursing. The husband was this close to poking the kid's eyes out. I had a nursing poncho on, but nursing an aggressive baby means having him grabbing everything from my hair to the poncho while lifting his legs up and twisting his body around. There were times when I happily took off the poncho and realized that I forgot to zip up my top, baring my brassiere for the whole world to see. So I don't know whether the teenage boy managed to catch a glimpse of that. It'll either make him very happy or very disturbed by the image.

I think the best tip for flying with a baby is to bring along some cute stickers. Yes, stickers. These stickers were our lifesavers! It kept the baby entertained for a good period of time. His other toys that I brought along was thrown on the floor every time I handed one to him.

He almost put a sticker on a man's head who was seating in front of us.

Though challenging and difficult, we couldn't be happier to have the baby along with us. At the end of the day, patience and a sense of humour made this whole trip possible.

Going Traveling

Nervous!

We'll be traveling with the baby for the first time this weekend to Indonesia. I can't stop freaking out about the whole concept of traveling with a baby. The packing. The change in routine. The flight. Oh dear God, the 2 hours flight! He can't even sit still for 10 minutes in the car, let alone 2 hours in a plane. Please oh pleasssee behave, okay sayang?

Sibuk je si bulat ni

Okay, who am I kidding? There's no way I'm going to fit all of the baby's and my stuffs in a luggage this size! I need a bigger luggage!!

This is so nerve-wrecking.

11 Months

See what he's eating? Look familiar?

Dear Son,

You just turned 11 months old a couple of days ago. You still can't walk, but it's okay. Take your time. You can stand on your own for a few seconds, call burung as "o-ong", take Ayah's comb and pretend to comb your hair, and say "mamam" when you see your food container. You love to talk a lot, too, in your own baby language. You look so charming when you smile and show off your 5 teeth. Watching you grow day by day has been such an amazing experience. Awak memang penceria hati Ibu dan Ayah.

Now, Ibu have to get cracking on your first birthday bash!

Artikel Penyusuan Ibu Di Tempat Kerja

KOSMO! Selasa 11 Mei 2010

Swasta Tidak Guna Peruntukan Ruang Ibu Menyusu Anak

Oleh Mazlina Abdul Majid (mazlina@kosmo.com.my)

SERI KEMBANGAN – Majikan di sektor swasta diselar kerana tidak memanfaatkan sepenuhnya peruntukan RM80,000 yang disediakan oleh kerajaan untuk membina ruang untuk penyusuan ibu di tempat kerja.

Timbalan Menteri Kesihatan, Datuk Rosnah Abdul Rashid Shirlin berkata, mereka juga dilihat kurang memberi sokongan dan tidak prihatin kepada kakitangan wanita yang berada dalam tahap kritikal untuk menyusukan bayi.

"Ramai majikan terutama sektor swasta tidak memberikan kerjasama dan menyokong usaha kerajaan dalam membantu merealisasikan polisi penyusuan susu ibu secara eksklusif selama enam bulan.

"Terdapat kes di mana ada majikan tidak membenarkan kakitangan untuk menyediakan susu mahu pun menyusukan anak," katanya selepas merasmikan Majlis Pra Pelancaran Persidangan Penyusuan Antarabangsa 2010 di sini semalam.

Persidangan yang akan diadakan pada 5 hingga 10 Oktober ini, bakal dihadiri 500 peserta dari Singapura, Thailand, Brunei, Indonesia, Hong Kong dan Jepun.

Kebimbangan Rosnah sememangnya berasas kerana berdasarkan data National Health Morbidity Survey 2006, kadar penyusuan susu ibu eksklusif bagi bayi berusia enam bulan hanya mencapai 14.5 peratus.

Sementara itu, menurut Pertubuhan Kesihatan Sedunia (WHO), risiko bayi mati akan bertambah sekiranya tidak menyusu susu ibu dalam tempoh tiga hingga empat bulan pertama.

Sehubungan itu, Rosnah mencadangkan agar setiap majikan bukan sahaja menyediakan ruang penyusuan tetapi pada masa sama lebih fleksibel kepada kakitangan wanitanya.

"Saya juga menggalakkan agar mereka menyediakan peti sejuk khas untuk menyimpan susu bayi," katanya.

Pada perkembangan perkaitan, Rosnah turut menggalakkan majikan untuk menyokong inisiatif kerajaan melanjutkan tempoh cuti bersalin dari 60 hari kepada 90 hari yang kini masih pada peringkat perbincangan.

---

I was lucky that my ex-employer was very understanding about breastfeeding. Initially there was no room for me to express my milk at work. But after discussing this matter with them, they put up blinds in the library so I could use it as my pumping station (I was the only mother in that agency!). They even encouraged me to pump every 3 hours and made sure I did it before we leave the office for any meetings. And the best part? My ex-bosses are men.

Mother's Day

This year's Mother's Day celebration was definitely joyful. Saturday night was spent with my family at Italiannies, celebrating three mothers: my Mummy, my sister and yours truly. It has been a while since the all of us went out together, so it was definitely fun. Food overload, picture taking, silly jokes, gawking at the huge meatballs, and entertained by the nephew who was doing what looked like pole dancing by the stairs.



And on Sunday night, we celebrated with the in-laws at MeatWorks, combining Mother's Day and two birthdays: my Mak, myself, my Bapak and the sister-in-law's boyfriend. I heard a lot of promising reviews about this place but it actually turned out pretty mediocre. My sirloin was okay, nothing to shout about there really (or maybe I'm just biased because my all-time favourite place for steaks has got to be at Jake's Charbroil Steak). Our fruit juices were diluted to a point almost tasteless. The rest of the food, well, let's just say some of us went home with thankful bellies and some went home cursing (as quoted by one of us, "The meat does NOT work!"). But, good food or not, it was the company that matters.



Before we left, my mother-in-law and I were given Mother's Day gift from MeatWorks. Meat, anyone?



Happy belated Mother's Day to all you mothers out there! Hope you had a lovely time on your special day :)

Mom & Baby Expo 2010

So! How was the Mom & Baby Expo 2010? I think it was pretty good. I bought only a few essentials as I didn't want to go overboard, because I'll be going on a shopping spree trip in about two more weeks :D Must must MUST reserve the money. I was on the lookout for You Have A Baby's nursing bra, but I didn't see their booth in either of the halls. Did they take part in the expo? Fabulous Mom's and Autumnz's cuttings don't fit me too well.

I got 2 big boxes of Heinz Farley's Rusks, Heinz Rice Cereal, Heinz Organic Apple Mini Rice Cakes, Pureen wet wipes, Mom's Care newborn gift set, Carter's bib and a jumper. Total damage was RM 70. And what's an expo without freebies, right? I got a mini hand sanitizer, mosquito repellent and baby yogurt bath from Pureen, and a teddy bear and 3 jars of Strawberry & Rice Dessert Yogurt from Heinz. There's no way I'm feeding this to the baby. Firstly, it is jar food, secondly strawberries are most commonly responsible for allergic reactions, and thirdly the expiry date is just less than two weeks away. So for now I'm just going to display it on the kitchen cabinet before tossing it into the dumpster.

Oh look, I even brought my own shopping bag! *beams*

Disney's Desperate Housewives

I was going through my files when I found this.



LOLkthxbai.

10 Must-Haves

Mothers, what were your 10 must-haves when you were pregnant? Here's mine, just for the fun of it :)

1. Kentucky Fried Chicken
I would eat KFC at least once a week. At least! When I try to refrain from eating it, dear husband would come up to me and say "Sayang.. Dapat KFC pon sodap ni!". Haiyo, how to control lah like that?!

2. Oreo
My daily snack. It's no wonder I gained 18 kilos by the end of the pregnancy.


3. BabyCenter.com
The best website for parents and parents-to-be, ever. Enough said.

4. Baby Oil
Used to massage off the killer backache.

5. Air-conditioning
I would get so hot that I often stood naked in front of the AC. After a cold shower. At nighttime!

6. Cocoa Butter Oil & Lotion
I got a lil stretch mark here and there, but imagine how much more I could get if I didn't use any Cocoa Butter oil or lotion throughout the pregnancy. Penat tu nak sapu lotion keliling badan.


Image from Socialitelife.Celebuzz.com

7. Flat Shoes
I salute those pregnant women who can still strut around in high heels! It was flats for me all the way.

8. Leggings
Call me cheap, but there was no way I would spend hundreds of Ringgit on maternity pants. Good thing I have a small frame, so I could fit into normal leggings till the day the baby was born.

9. Breathe Right
I had a bad case of sinus between my 4th to 6th month of pregnancy. Both of my nostrils would get blocked that I had to breathe through my mouth. I tried everything from Vicks to nasal decongestant, but none of them worked. Then I found Breathe Right, and it worked wonders.


10. Husband
My ultimate must have. My dear husband who attended to my needs, patiently entertained my crazy pregnant woman's mood swings, massaged my back every night, called me beautiful even when I resemble a singa tengah kena sawan, and caressed and sweet-talked to my belly endlessly. I can't imagine how difficult it is for those pregnant women who has to go through the whole process without their husbands by their sides.

Hamata, Mom & Baby

I was reading The Star last Saturday when I came across an article by Nicole Tan about Hamata Villa, located in a secluded tourist town in Myanmar border. The pictures caught my eyes.

Images from The Star and Scenery Resort Online

Beautiful, isn't it? Makes me want to have a romantic getaway with the hubster.

To read the article, you can go here.

On a different note, good news for all shopaholic moms out there. Babyland is having a sale until this Sunday, 2nd May 2010. BUT! For those who can contain their splurging urges, you can wait until the 7th to 9th May because that's when the Mom & Baby Expo 2010 is happening at MidValley Megamall. I hope this time it won't be as disappointing as the Motherhood Expo 2010.



Apa lagi? Serbuuuuu!

 

Is That Enough?

Image from Thenovakagency's Blog
I've been getting this a lot ever since the baby started on his solid food, especially when I'm feeding his meals.

"Is that enough?"

Or disapproving looks at the food container/bowl.

And then followed by this when he was done.

"Are you SURE it's enough?"
"He wants more! You're feeding him too little."
"I feel like cooking a whole pot of porridge for him."
"I can see he's losing weight."

Or something along that line.

And without fail, I gave them the same answers.

"Yes, it is enough."
"No, he doesn't need to eat that much."
"Solid foods are complimentary feeding for babies his age."
"His most important food is STILL breastmilk."

Sigh. I know they mean well, and I appreciate their concern. I really do. But I don't want to feel obligated to feed my baby more than he actually needs.

And another thing that makes me tick is when someone happily try to shove junk food/drink down the baby's throat. I mean, come on. Here I am doing research, choosing and making the best food I could for him, and then you go feed him these nonsense? Have a little respect, please. That's all I'm asking.

This is getting really tiring.

How To Lose Your Baby Fat

Image from Fashionverbatim.net

Well, how I did, anyway. Sure, I am definitely no Gisele Bundchen (it is a crime to look that good postpartum!), but I managed to lose those baby fat steadily over the few months. I don't have the discipline to keep up with a strict diet or routine, hence the slow result. But hey, slow result is better than no result, yes? (optimism is the key!)

1. Eat Fat Burning Food
I usually take fat burning food for breakfast or lunch, with the likes of eggs, apples, low fat milk/yogurt, and chilies.

2. Cardiovascular Workout
I do cardio exercise for one hour, at least once a week. But there were times when weeks pass before I paid the gym a visit, hoho.

3. Cut Down On Refined Carbohydrates
I take rice once a day and substitute white bread with wholemeal.

4. Keep Busy

I've always been the type of person who can't sit still. I always find things to do in the house, otherwise I'd feel agitated.

5. Chase The Baby
Now that the baby is crawling, climbing, cruising and throwing tantrums, he is actually giving me free workout at home!

6. Breastfeed The Baby
And, of course, the best calorie burning method EVER. By breastfeeding, your body burns an average of 500 calories per day. Sungguh best!

Bayi 9 Bulan Mati Tercekik Bebola Ikan

Source: Harian Metro

TAMPIN: Seorang bayi lelaki berusia sembilan bulan maut dipercayai akibat tercekik bebola ikan di sebuah taman asuhan kanak-kanak (taska) di Jalan Cantik di sini, pagi semalam.

Dalam kejadian kira-kira jam 9 pagi, mangsa, Wan Nur Alif Wan Arif Fadhla terpaksa dikejarkan ke Hospital Tampin kira-kira 50 meter dari taska itu untuk mendapatkan rawatan. Bagaimanapun, dia disahkan meninggal dunia sejurus tiba.

Sumber berkata, mangsa yang juga anak bongsu daripada dua beradik dihantar ke taska berkenaan oleh ibunya yang bertugas sebagai guru di sebuah sekolah di sini, kira-kira jam 7.30 pagi untuk dijaga pengasuh berikutan ibu dan bapanya bekerja.

“Bayi itu tiba-tiba tercekik bebola ikan sebesar ibu jari yang dibelah dua menyebabkan dia terjatuh sejurus selepas itu."

“Pengasuh yang menyedari kejadian itu membawa mangsa ke Hospital Tampin untuk mendapatkan rawatan, tetapi disahkan sudah meninggal dunia,” katanya di sini, semalam.

Difahamkan, pihak berkuasa mengenal pasti bagaimana bayi itu boleh tercekik bebola ikan yang menjadi antara menu makanan pagi di taska itu, semalam.

Sementara itu, bapa mangsa, Wan Arif Fadhla Wan Yusof, 41, ketika ditemui di perkarangan Hospital Tampin, berkata dia menyedari kejadian itu selepas dihubungi isterinya kira-kira jam 11.15 pagi memaklumkan kejadian menimpa bayi mereka.

“Saya terima panggilan daripada isteri (Nur Azita Ibrahim, 31,) memberitahu tubuh anak kami dalam keadaan kebiru-biruan dan sudah dihantar ke hospital untuk menerima rawatan.

“Sebaik tiba, pihak hospital memaklumkan anak saya sudah meninggal dunia kerana tidak dapat bernafas akibat tercekik bebola ikan,” katanya kakitangan Jabatan Penerangan Daerah Rembau itu.

Dia kesal dengan kecuaian pengasuh terbabit menyediakan sarapan bercampur bahan sebesar ibu jari dan diberikan kepada bayi sekecil anaknya.

Katanya, jenazah anaknya dibawa pulang ke kampung asalnya di Marang, Terengganu untuk dikebumikan.

Berikutan itu, Wan Arif Fadhla membuat laporan di Balai Polis Tampin kira-kira jam 12 tengah hari.

Sementara, Ketua Polis Daerah Tampin, Superintendan Wooi Hooi Cheng ketika dihubungi mengesahkan menerima laporan kejadian.

Menurutnya, polis sudah membuka kertas siasatan dan akan memanggil pengusaha taska terbabit untuk merakamkan keterangan.

Seorang pegawai Jabatan Kebajikan Masyarakat (JKM) Daerah ketika dihubungi, berkata pihaknya akan menjalankan siasatan bagi mengetahui punca kejadian itu.

Katanya, mengikut rekod JKM, walaupun taska terbabit sudah beroperasi sejak beberapa lama, pihak pengurusan baru saja memohon untuk didaftarkan dan kini masih dalam proses.

---

What were they thinking serving fish balls to babies?! And as big as a thumb?? Oh dear God. That poor baby. That poor parents. My heart goes out to them.

This is exactly why I always remind myself, it's not so bad to not being able to go shopping every month like I used to when I had a job. At least now I get to take care of the baby myself, instead of leaving him with a babysitter or at a daycare.

*sigh* I feel so angry and upset.

Babyland and Avocado

My favourite place to get baby's essentials has got to be Babyland in SS2, Petaling Jaya. I would go there with a purpose to get just disposable diapers, but would end up with toys, rusks, clothes, socks, bibs and whatnot an hour later. It's a sickness, I tell you. And what made me like this place even more is that there's a small fruit stall just below the store. The fruits are fresh and prices are reasonable. Today, I got 3 avocados for just RM10. Now that is awesome.

I've been meaning to introduce avocado into the baby's diet, but I held off the intention (until today) because it is quite pricey just to get a piece. Preparing the avocado is super easy as you don't need to steam/bake/blend, therefore making it a great to-go meal.


The 3 avocados bought for RM10, posing nicely on the cutting board before getting sacrificed for the baby.




Slice, de-pit, and scoop out the "meat".



The rest of the slices are kept in a zip-lock bag to be frozen.



Before serving, mash with a fork.


The verdict? A yay all the way!

Reference: Avocado For Your Baby