from advertising to homemaking

Weaning Off.

2011-10-27T17:36:00.000+08:00

I wanted to write this entry about 5 months ago, but procrastination happened LOLZZ.

Anywaayyyy, I received a comment (Not that I get many of those! So kesian hahaha T_T) requesting me to do an entry on how I weaned off my toddler. Since I have no one chasing me to deliver urgent jobs today, I guess I can kick procrastination in the butt and do that entry. So here goes!

The weaning off process was actually surprisingly easy. My initial plan was to introduce formula to him 6 months prior to his 2nd birthday, slowly wean off along the months, and completely wean off by the time he turns two.

I introduced Dumex Dugro to the son in January 2011, but a month earlier I gave him Mamil Gold since I had some samples with me. Getting him to take bottled milk was no problem at all (Though he did have a nursing strike before), since he always take my EBM whenever I leave him with my MIL or my mother's maid.

In the first stage, I gave him formula once a day, usually after he had his morning bath. About a few weeks later, he only breastfeed in the morning when he wakes up and at night before he goes to bed. So daytime feeding only consists of solid food and formula milk. Eventually, my supply started to drop as I didn't direct feed as frequent anymore. Tried to express milk but one hour of effort resulted in only one ounce of milk.

The next thing I know, he was happily taking his formula milk and did not show even the slightest bit of interest when I tried to get him to breastfeed. With him being content with it and with my milk supply was so close to drying up, it's safe to say that the both of us have reached some sort of an agreement and understanding that it was time to end our beautiful breastfeeding journey. (So sad now can cry!)

The feeling was bittersweet. I miss our special bonding sessions, but also relieved at the same time because being a boob-juice machine is definitely not an easy task. But given the chance, I would do it all over again! :)

Thank You, Steve.

2011-10-18T16:19:00.000+08:00

On a normal day, my routine goes something like this:

Wake up. Check the son. Check Twitter. Breakfast. Check Twitter. Shower. Check Twitter. Play with the son. Check Twitter... Well, you get the picture.

But on the 5th of October 2011, I got up, and to my horror, our internet connection was busted. To add to my not so pleasant morning, I had a deadline to fulfill. Having the Client texting me every 30 minutes certainly did not help me to keep my cool. So I was running around like a headless chicken trying to feed and bath a 2 year old toddler, feed and bath myself, get my work done, get out of the house and deliver it to my Client by hand. My point is, I did not have time to check my Twitter timeline.

By the time I checked, I was having lunch with the Client and it was about 2pm. And there it was. A timeline flooded with the news of Steve Jobs's passing. I thought it was a hoax.

Me: "WHAT!?!! STEVE JOBS IS DEAD?!!!"

Client: "Yeah, you didn't know? It's all over Facebook"

Shocked. Speechless.

Some people think they are so funny, when actually they're just distasteful.

Thank you for everything, Steve. You have done wonders to the technology world. I honestly cannot imagine how Apple is going to be without you around. RIP.

Dalam Kulit Kacang

2011-10-14T19:32:00.001+08:00

Hello, blogsphere!Wow, my last update was *checking archive..* in July! A lot has happened this year. In a nutshell:

1. My 26 months old toddler officially weaned off at 21 months. Wanted to do a post on this, but, yeah... (okay, takde alasan). I have to say I miss being a boob-juice machine! :(

2. Dumped my Nokia and jumped on the smartphone bandwagon. Tapi bukan Blackberry ye. Sebab bak kata pepatah: Once you go Mac, you'll never go back! Buahaha.

3. Husband and I has bought ourselves our first ever property! Weeee!!

4. I got pregnant. Okay, I joke. No, I'm not pregnant. I'm not. Stop asking!

5. Not only I went to my third Incubus concert, I even get to speak to the front-man himself! Via the phone, but still. I SPOKE TO BRANDON-FRIGGIN-BOYD. Can I pengsan please? Many thanks to a close friend who made it happen! I was smiling like a fool for a whole month. Yes, my husband is one understanding person.

6. Gave myself a project for our new home. Found this DIY tutorial on Pinterest. That's right. Do-It-Yourself! I painted each and every pattern on the wall myself. Sampai demam. Husband tolong kasi kata-kata semangat sahaja ye, sekian terima kasih. Nak buat jugak? Then head on to Nannygoat.

7. Finally gotten myself a MacBook Pro, a few days after the legendary Steve Jobs passed away. Now I do my design work with a huge smile on my face. Thank you, PowerBook G4. You have served us well for the past 8 years.

8. I turned 28 recently. And this is important because.. ?

9. I'm sure there are more but these are the ones I can recall at the moment. Dah tua, nak buat macam mana? (Please refer to number 8)

Teraniaya, Dianiaya, Menganiaya.

2011-08-07T05:23:00.000+08:00

Image from Deviantart.

They say 'doa orang teraniaya akan dimakbulkan oleh Allah SWT'.

Have you even been ill-treated, to the point where you actually pray for something unpleasant to happen to the oppressor?

I have a story to share.

Aminah (bukan nama sebenar) had two best friends. Their friendship was so great that they've never fought, not even once. Until the day Aminah dumped her no good ex-boyfriend. Oh boy, was he pissed. Then he started making her life a living hell, including turning her two best friends against her.

Aminah was heartbroken. She kept on fighting for their friendship, but her ex kept coming up with new strategies to make sure her plans fail. But alas, those two had turned to the dark side and became minions of the evil ex. (the ex was a real pussy that he needed minions to do his evil deeds. pssh).

On one fine night, Aminah went out to her car to go out for dinner and found that her car was egged (translation: kena tempek dengan telur ayam). She had no other suspects in mind, except those two evil minions. She was angry, she was devastated, and most of all she felt betrayed. (eh, kena telur pun nak sedih sangat ke?)

She got into the car, cried, and through her tears she began praying (wah so dramatic wan), asking God to punish the oppressors. Asking God to show to her if it was really those two who did that to her car, they would get into an accident.

A week later, she got the news that one of the minions got into an accident. Just a minor one, some dents on the car and no one was hurt.

A few weeks later, the other minion got into an accident. It was quite bad, the car was a total loss, but the minion escaped with minor injuries.

And that got Aminah thinking. Was it just a pure coincidence, or did God really answer her prayer?

Jadi pengajarannya disini ialah is to never ever ill-treat anyone. Not even when you think they deserve it. And even if you're victimized, it is best if you don't pray for anything bad to happen to the oppressors. Let God punish them in His own way.

P/S: Yes, this is a true story.

Happy Terrible Two!

2011-07-15T02:15:00.000+08:00

This post is a month too late, but hey, better late than never, right?

Our little boy is not so little anymore. He just turned ~~terrible~~ two! I know I've said this so many times (and also every other mothers on this planet), but he is growing up TOO fast! Can I cry now please?

Had very little sleep for 2 weeks because I'm a gila kuasa mother that I wanted to DIY everything myself. Well, except for the cake and every other food lah, because I don't think my guests would be pleased if they get poisoned by my cooking.

M2U VS Maybank2U Scam.

2011-06-01T14:33:00.000+08:00

Sometime last week I received an email from Maybank2u asking me to update my account via online. But the funny part is it was emailed to my blog's email, which I certainly did not use for my online banking purposes. I was confused for a few seconds (I'm kinda slow like that) before telling myself this could be a scam. But don't worry, I did not click the link given in the email. On mouse-over, I can see the link does not lead to Maybank2u website. And then I opened my personal email and made a comparison.

This was from m2u (m2u@maybank2u.com.my) informing me about a 3rd party transfer.

And this was from maybank2u.com (alertservices@maybanksecure.net) asking me to update my Maybank account information.

Shall I say, nice try, scumbags?

It Isn't Very Pretty Anymore.

2011-05-31T00:01:00.000+08:00

This is so touching. Found at Cafemom.com via Pinterest.

The wordings read:

"A mark for every breath you took, every blink, every sleepy yawn. One for every time you sucked your thumb, waved hello, closed your eyes and slept in the most perfect darkness. One for every time you had the hiccups. One for every dream you dreamed within me.

It isn't very pretty anymore. Some may even think it ugly. That's OK. It was your home. It's where I first grew to love you, where I lay my hand as I dreamed about who you were and who you would be. It held you until my arms could, and for that, I will always find something beautiful in it."

:`)

The L Word.

2011-05-16T11:41:00.000+08:00

It's been a while, huh? Yeah, I know! I was ironing some clothes when I suddenly feel the need to rant (Sorry, clothes. I guess you would have to wait).

So I'm a full time housewife and also a freelance graphic designer. I've come across quite a number of potential clients asking me to design their logos. But of course, quotations come first before I get any actual work done. And it baffles me that 99% of them refused to cough up more than RM200 for a logo.

"It's a bit OVER my budget."

"I didn't know a logo can cost THAT MUCH."

And there are some who said,

"Sounds reasonable!"

"I'm so excited!"

And never to be heard from again. Annoyed, I am!

People, please don't be so kedekut taik hidung masin. Please consider that the designers behind your logo worked their butts off to get where they are today. Also bear in mind the research they have to do beforehand, the number of options they will present to you and the rounds of amendments they will have to do before being able to finalize it. Itu pun kadang-kadang dah finalize pun, Client mintak buat amendments lagi. So it is all work, not fun and games.

Putting the work-related-rant aside, it is also CRUCIAL to have a good logo for your company. It is an investment. Don't think so? Then I suggest you open MS Paint and design your own logo, FOC.

/endrant

P.S: It's amusing when I find logos similar to each other.

I Have Been..

2011-03-15T16:21:00.000+08:00

Very very very lazy to update this blog. I guess that's kind of obvious, right?

Sekian, terima kasih.

Breast Milk Ice Cream, Anyone?

2011-02-25T12:51:00.000+08:00

This feels so wrong. What do you think?

-----

Taken from Malaysian Digest.

SHOP TO SELL BREAST MILK ICE CREAM

LONDON, 25 FEBRUARY, 2011: A specialist ice cream parlor plans to serve up breast milk ice cream and says people should think of it as an organic, free-range treat, reported Reuters.

The breast milk concoction is called the "Baby Gaga" and will be available from Friday at the Icecreamists restaurant in London's Covent Garden.

According to Reuters Icecreamists founder Matt O'Connor was confident his take on the "miracle of motherhood" and priced at a hefty 14 pounds (RM69) a serving will go down a treat with the paying public.

The breast milk was provided by mothers who answered an advertisement on online mothers' forum Mumsnet.

Victoria Hiley, 35, from London was one of 15 women who donated milk to the restaurant after seeing the advert.

Hiley works with women who have problems breast-feeding their babies. She said she believes that if adults realized how tasty breast milk actually is, then new mothers would be more willing to breast-feed their own newborns.

"What could be more natural than fresh, free-range mother's milk in an ice cream? And for me it's a recession beater too – what's the harm in using my assets for a bit of extra cash," Hiley said in a statement.

"I tried the product for the first time today – it's very nice, it really melts in the mouth."

The Baby Gaga recipe blends breast milk with Madagascan vanilla pods and lemon zest, which is then churned into ice cream.

O'Connor said the Baby Gaga was just one of a dozen radical new flavors at the shop.

"Some people will hear about it and go, 'yuck' but actually it's pure, organic, free-range and totally natural," he said.

"I had a Baby Gaga just this morning and I feel great," he added.

Weekend Photos #003

2011-02-18T15:27:00.000+08:00

Posting last weekend's photos a day before the new weekend starts. Well, Procrastinator is my middle name.

Subway breakfast meal. Healthier and cheaper than McDonald's!

Didn't want to hear me bebel.

At the clinic while waiting to get his 1st Booster Triple and Polio + Hib jab.

Paid a visit to the newly opened SSTwo Mall. Which is pretty much dead.

They have weekend flea market. Which looked pretty much dead, too. But it is actually a nice mall. I hope more tenants will open up soon.

Currently the best tenant there (well, to me anyway) is none other than Tutti Frutti! They don't have any baby chair at the moment, so I told them that they really should invest in some. They even have a small cosy kids play area, but I totally forgot to take a picture of it because the froyo was demanding for me to eat them.

A lil art time with the boy. Husband and I drew those. Yeah. Okay you can stop laughing now. I just hope the boy will have better drawing skills than his parents when he's older.

Weekend Photos #002

2011-02-10T16:14:00.001+08:00

This is what he'll do when we say "Tengok gigi!".

So, Ibu... What do you want to eat??

Black Canyon Restaurant at Centerpoint, Bandar Utama. The food is quite good and prices are reasonable. I personally enjoy the tomyam. Another place that has good tomyam is at Jemari Restaurant in Dataran Glomac Kelana Jaya.

Before: Mengamuk nak iPod. After: Muka puas hati dapat iPod.

Really gotta learn to be more rajin to get the camera out of the bag and snap more photos.

Cobaan.

2011-02-09T11:20:00.000+08:00

Budak buas suka mengamuk.

I am currently facing a couple of... challenges with my 20 months old toddler. First of, he's refusing to sleep in his own cot. He was fine before until recently. One minute he is fast asleep on our bed, and as soon as we transfer him to his cot, he wakes up and starts crying. We pick him up, dodoi him, and put him back in the cot. Then he wakes up crying again. Repeat cycle until we give up and let him sleep on our bed. ~~How to have sexy time lah like this?!~~

The second challenge is getting him to nap/ sleep without having to 'bergantung' to the boob-juice machine. Unless he is with someone else, like my MIL for example. In that case he'll happily drink from the bottle and go to sleep fuss-free.

So, how now brown cow? How do I tackle these challenges?

Weekend Photos #001

2011-02-01T00:26:00.000+08:00

I've been meaning to record my weekends in photos, but did not have the discipline to do so. Always been too lazy to take out the camera from the handbag. Either that or I always forget. But usually it's the latter, heh.

At One Utama. See that man trying to balance the huge ass pole using his mouth? Not really doing a good job at it.

Turns out my lip gloss is the preferred teething object for the boy.

Abaikan the vegetables. I wanted to take the photo of the maid in purple. Husband and I were feeling so sorry for her because she was there with her employer, who were happily eating and drinking while she just sat there with no food nor drink. All she did was helped to feed the little girl, looking all miserable. Now, I'm beginning to notice this trend. Why do some people don't buy their maids something to eat when they're out? Kesian tau.

Chicken Teppanyaki. Hated taugeh with a vengeance before I met my husband 11 years ago. The husband on the other hand is a hantu taugeh. He's in love with everything taugeh. Okay fine I'm exaggerating, but you get my point.

Had our date night and watched The Green Hornet. That was our second time watching a 3D movie. We're noobs like that. Sat two rows from the screen, but the movie was so good that we barely notice the neck pain and the crossed eyes.

Kasi chance makan Tutti Frutti. Tak padan dengan kecik.

Wait, that's it?! I could have sworn I snapped more photos. Oh well.

Eating Out.

2011-01-27T14:13:00.000+08:00

Eating out has never been the same ever since the baby is around, because he is one easily-bored little fella. At first husband and I would take turn to eat. We call this 'Shift Makan'. But we would have one of us with this OMG-I'm-So-Hungry-Please-Chew-Faster look while staring into the other person's plate, so eating under pressure is definitely not fun.

Then I started stocking up a bag full of goodies to keep him occupied. We call this the 'Doraemon Bag'. From toys to books to crayons to straws, the works. But it seems like he's much more interested in throwing everything from the bag onto the floor.

Then we thought, okay, let's bait him with some gadgets and food. Sure enough, he became very much interested in the husband's iPod Touch. Food pulak in the beginning we gave him Heinz/ Milna Rusks. And like I mentioned, he's easily bored so before we know it, instead of eating the Rusks, he enjoys throwing them to the floor. Then we moved on to Heinz Rice Cakes (RM9 per packet and he can finish all of it at one go *pengsan*). After he got bored with this, we gave him Heinz Biscotti. And currently, he's enjoying Baby Bites. We call all of these biscuits the 'Biskut Pancing/ Weekend Biscuits'. Because we only give him these when we go out during the weekend (hence the name).

There you have it. Our methods in trying to have a (quite) peaceful meal outside. If we're really lucky, he would nap and we would run into any nearby restaurant and try to gobble up everything before he wakes up. But too bad, that only happen about 20 percent of the time.

Ohai. I iz eating Baby Bites. Iz yummeh. Om nom nom.

So what about you? Any tips/ methods that you would like to share?

Sabrina Affandi Is One!

2011-01-24T14:29:00.000+08:00

Hot Mama.

2011-01-21T19:01:00.001+08:00

Mommies,

Any of you feel like running out of the door, straight into a Marie France Bodyline branch and sign up on the spot after looking at this?

I know I do.

Kena Dera.

2011-01-19T16:13:00.000+08:00

By his 6 years old cousin!

I left him with my Mother's maid, who was looking after my nephew for about 10 minutes, and see what happened? All because he was jealous the maid was hugging the baby. Call me dramatic, but my heart sank when I saw the wounds. Rasa macam nak menangis and mengamuk. And come to think of it, it's only some scratch wounds by a naughty kid. Belum lagi like those abuse cases by crazy maids/ parents/ relatives you always see on the news.

My poor bulat :( This is not the first time it happened. My nephew is teramat lah nakal.

Brand VS Quality.

2011-01-18T00:30:00.000+08:00

At first I was thrilled, then I was angry. And now, I am pissed. I'm talking about my purchase at Dorothy Perkins. Believe it or not, it was my first time ever buying an apparel there. Not really a fan of buying overpriced items (RM50 for a basic plain tee? No thanks). Or in other words, I don't go for brands. You might say branded items have better quality. True enough, but I don't completely agree.

Let's take my DP purchase for example. I told my sister I'm in need of new jeans, and she suggested DP, since they were having a sale, and she has the DNP Clothing member card, which means another 10% off. So after all the discounts, the jeans costs only RM86. Reasonable, yes? A bit more from what I always spend for a pair of jeans. Normally I would get a pair for about RM50 at Sungei Wang. But I thought, well, it is DP, so it has to be in good quality. Well, not really. I was in a hurry when I tried on the jeans. The cutting seemed okay to me, so instead of spending about 15 minutes in the fitting room to evaluate the whole apparel in front the mirror (I know you do that, too), I was in and out in just about 5 minutes. So yeah, I was thrilled.

Then I went home. Put the jeans aside. Two days later, sent it for alteration (I'm short :P), got it back and tried it on. Then I noticed something. One leg side fits perfectly, but the other side is loose. Takkan my leg is bigger than the other?! So I took it off, folded it and see what I discovered.

One side is indeed bigger than the other! Gahh! Okay, I guess it was my fault for not noticing it when I was trying it on at the shop. Thank God my super talented MIL managed to alter it and made both sides equal.

And then. After wearing it only ONCE, I notice all this bulu (y'know, the bulu that normally appear after a piece of clothing is worn out?) started to come out. All of my Sungei Wang jeans are still in good condition, no bulu whatsoever. And I've been wearing it for years!

[cue sesi membebel macam makcik]

Once, I bought a pair of bra at La Senza. After wearing it a couple of times, the strap came off. A bra that costs over a hundred Ringgit. Strap tercabut. HOW?!

So, ladies and gents. I apologize for the excessive usage of exclamation mark in this entry. But what I'm trying to say here is, brand does not guarantee quality.

I'm gonna go sulk in a corner now.

Next Formula.

2011-01-13T17:33:00.001+08:00

When the Mamil Gold formula samples started to run out, I began looking for another formula brand for the baby. Mamil Gold costs about RM30+ for a 600g pack, which I think is slightly on the pricey side. Truth be told, I have no clue on what to look for when choosing a formula. There are just too many on the market! So I opted for Dumex Dugro. Simply because I remember my younger sisters drank it when they were little, and now my nephew is. Also, the price is very reasonable, only RM15 for a 650g pack.

And today Dumex Dugro was introduced to the baby. The verdict? He downed the whole bottle like nobody's business. I'm hoping there will be no allergy reactions.

From now on, milk for the baby is no longer free! Okay maybe not entirely, since I am still breastfeeding. Oh well, it was good while it lasted :)

Another One, Gone.

2011-01-12T01:49:00.000+08:00

Yesterday, a friend of mine told me that her colleague had lost her 4 months old baby. Choked on milk at the babysitter's house. The babysitter had left the baby alone with the milk bottle. Then she thought the baby had fallen asleep, until the mother came to fetch the baby, only to find him all blue and lifeless.

I was so angry when I heard about it. Why do this incident keep happening? Don't they ever read the news and install in their brains that YOU SHOULDN'T LEAVE A SMALL BABY ALONE WITH THE MILK BOTTLE? They must be utterly STUPID to take such short-cuts in taking care of someone's baby.

Brainless idiots.

Green Is The New Black.

2011-01-06T01:19:00.000+08:00

I like how the condominium management is making an effort to cut down on the energy consumption and doing their part in being green. I'm doing my part also, by:

1. Switching off and unplugging unused appliances.
2. Reusing water.
3. Using energy saving light bulbs.
4. Bringing my own shopping bags.
5. Using cloth diaper for the baby.
6. Recycling plastic bottles, papers and cans.

It might not seem much, but I believe it is a lot better than doing nothing. What about you? Don't be ignorant, people. Our planet is getting sicker each day. Let's do our part. It's not that hard, really.

Found some good tips on how to go green at home at Simplemom.net.

Random Snap 08: XOXO

2011-01-04T13:38:00.000+08:00

Doesn't look like Blake Lively to me. Spotted in Pandaindera, 26th December 2010.

Gossip Girl 411:

Image from The Bosh: Celebrity Gossip
Do your homework and proof-reading, please!

On Vocabulary & Directions.

2011-01-03T11:18:00.000+08:00

The baby still can't (or maybe refusing) to call me Ibu and the husband Ayah, and he's turning 19 months in a couple of weeks. So far his vocabulary consist of:

Car
Book
Mamam = Makan
Pod = iPod (yes, the iPod is his new bestfriend)
Puu = Lampu
Tuk = Atuk
Jan = Hujan
Ish = Fish
Dap = Sedap
O-ong = Burung
Jijingten = Chuggington/ Thomas (he calls Thomas as Chuggington, too)

And the rest are gibberish.

A few simple directions that he understands:

Let's go.
Let's eat.
Let's take a bath.
Sit down.
Close the door.
Switch off the TV.
Go salam.
Go get your chair.
Go get your biscuits.
Go get Tom Tom (his bantal busuk's name).
Go get your shoes.
Open your shoes.

If I'm lucky, I would say "Take picture!" and then he would strike a pose, like this.

I'm sure there are more, but these are on top of my head right now. I'm trying not to worry too much about it, as I've read in Babycenter that boys tend to develop language skills more slowly than girls. I also referred to the Warning signs of a language/communication developmental delay article, and so far everything seems A-Okay to me.

Oh, oh, and he can complete this puzzle all by himself :`)

And So It Begins.

2010-12-31T11:43:00.000+08:00

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.

2010-12-17T11:39:00.000+08:00

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?

2010-12-10T12:14:00.000+08:00

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

Guilty, Yet Again.

2010-12-09T15:39:00.000+08:00

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.

2010-10-25T16:32:00.000+08:00

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?

2010-10-06T14:47:00.000+08:00

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.

2010-10-04T11:50:00.000+08:00

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.

2010-10-03T01:33:00.002+08:00

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.

2010-10-01T10:00:00.001+08:00

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.

2010-09-30T15:06:00.000+08:00

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.

2010-09-29T15:11:00.000+08:00

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.

2010-08-31T10:13:00.000+08:00

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.

2010-08-30T12:28:00.001+08:00

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.

2010-08-23T13:26:00.000+08:00

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!

2010-08-17T01:09:00.000+08:00

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.

2010-07-29T10:38:00.000+08:00

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.

2010-07-28T11:33:00.000+08:00

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.

2010-07-27T12:38:00.000+08:00

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

2010-07-26T19:01:00.000+08:00

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.

2010-07-14T12:55:00.000+08:00

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!

2010-07-13T15:29:00.000+08:00

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?

2010-06-30T00:26:00.001+08:00

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

2010-06-23T13:41:00.000+08:00

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

2010-06-22T15:35:00.000+08:00

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

2010-06-14T18:16:00.000+08:00

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

2010-06-08T12:02:00.000+08:00

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

2010-06-07T18:55:00.002+08:00

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

2010-05-31T17:12:00.000+08:00

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

2010-05-28T13:27:00.000+08:00

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

2010-05-17T00:36:00.002+08:00

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

2010-05-14T15:23:00.001+08:00

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

2010-05-13T01:57:00.003+08:00

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

2010-05-10T23:41:00.000+08:00

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

2010-05-09T10:49:00.001+08:00

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

2010-05-06T01:01:00.000+08:00

I was going through my files when I found this.

LOLkthxbai.

10 Must-Haves

2010-04-30T12:20:00.000+08:00

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

2010-04-28T18:11:00.000+08:00

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?

2010-04-26T12:36:00.007+08:00

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

2010-04-21T12:45:00.001+08:00

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

2010-04-15T14:59:00.007+08:00

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

2010-04-14T17:33:00.006+08:00

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

It Is A Pain

2010-04-10T01:49:00.004+08:00

Image from OhMalaysia

It is a pain to see,
you came into this world just to be killed or left to die.

It is a pain to know,
you were abandoned and not getting all the attention,
love and care that you need and deserve.

It is a pain to imagine,
all the pain that you went or will go through in your life.

It is a pain to not understand,
how can humans be so heartless.

I shed my tears for you, sweet innocent ones.

Breastfeed Exceeding Two Years Old

2010-03-27T08:12:00.008+08:00

Image from www.910moms.com

It is encouraged in Islam to breastfeed newborns until the age of two years old. And we always hear about mommies who breastfeed their children up until they are three, some even four years old. But my curiosity was, what is the ruling in Islam if the breastfeeding exceeds the age of two years old? Yesterday, I found this article in Utusan Malaysia.

Kemusykilan Agama - Bersama Mohd. Farid Ravi Abdullah
(Pengarah Institut Kajian Hadis, Selangor & Kolej Universiti Islam Antarabangsa, Selangor)

Soalan:
Apakah hukum menyusukan anak lebih daripada dua tahun, apakah ada dalil atau hadis yang mengatakan bahawa tidak boleh menyusukan anak melebihi dua tahun?

Adakah menyusukan anak lebih daripada dua tahun mendatangkan penyakit bagi anak yang disusukan itu kerana susu itu akan bertukar menjadi darah setelah anak lebih dari 2 tahun?

Jawapan:
Menyusukan anak lebih daripada dua tahun adalah harus terutamanya untuk maslahat si anak. Tiada nas atau hukum fikah mengharamkannya.

Cuma sesetengah ulama berpendapat ia akan melemahkan bayi kerana setiap yang disyorkan oleh Allah seperti tempoh menyusu dua tahun itu pasti ada hikmahnya kerana Allah Maha Tahu sebagai Pencipta manusia.

Penyusuan badan adalah hak anak dalam Islam, sudah tentulah ia yang terbaik dan ini telah terbukti benar melalui kajian saintifik kini.

Tiada pula sumber ditemui mengatakan ia bertukar menjadii darah selepas dua tahun. Jiran saya seorang jururawat menyusukan anaknya sehingga tiga setengah tahun.

Dia berbuat demikian setelah bertanyakan doktor yang membenarkannya berbuat demikian selama anak itu masih ingin menyusu tetapi bukan sebagai makanan utama selepas dua tahun.

Namun kebanyakkan ulama berpendapat patut dihentikan selepah dua setengah tahun kerana susu itu tidak lagi berfungsi sebagai pembekal nutrien untuk membesar kepada bayi.

Juga untuk memberi peluang kepada ibu mengandung lagi kerana penyusuan badan biasanya membantut proses mengandung secara alami.

I intend, God willing, to breastfeed my baby until he is two years old, max. Amin.

Grieving Mothers Blame Baby Slings For Infant Deaths

2010-03-25T20:01:00.006+08:00

I received this in my inbox today. So heartbreaking. I'm not sure whether Infantino is available in Malaysia, but to be on the safe side, please pass it on.

(CNN) -- It wasn't a long walk to Lisa Cochran's car in the Costco parking lot from the store. But by the time she got there, her infant son was near death.

Cochran had just enjoyed a hot dog at the Salem, Oregon, wholesale outlet with her grandmother and put 7-day-old Derrik back in his Infantino "SlingRider."

Cochran had him out of the sling while she was eating, and people at nearby tables asked about Derrik's age and expressed amazement that Cochran was already out and about after the pregnancy.

But something about Derrik was amiss when she reached the car, she said.

"He was not the right color. He was yellow. He had purple spots from where the sling rubbed marks on his face," said Cochran, 27.

Cochran called 911. Her fiancé, Jerrid Fowler, administered CPR. An ambulance arrived and paramedics also tried to revive the infant.

"By the time I got to the hospital, they told me they weren't able to save him," she said.

Cochran filed a lawsuit in January, asking for millions of dollars in damages and alleging that Infantino was negligent and liable for her son's May 7, 2009, death.

The death certificate cited compression asphyxia/suffocation as Derrik's cause of death, Cochran said.

Infantino issued a recall Wednesday of two baby slings, the "SlingRider" and the "Wendy Bellissimo," offering customers replacement slings.

The San Diego, California-based company said consumers should stop using the recalled slings immediately but did not take responsibility for any deaths.

"Our company is comprised of moms, dads, sisters, aunts, uncles and grandparents and we care deeply about the quality and safety of our products," President Jack Vresics said. "All of our products go through rigorous testing and we work closely with governmental agencies as well as other third-party testing organizations continually to ensure the safety of our products."

Earlier this month, the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission issued a warning about the use of certain baby slings, saying it had identified 14 deaths with sling-style carriers, most of them in children younger than 4 months. On Tuesday, Health Canada issued a joint statement with the agency, saying three of the deaths appeared to occur in one of Infantino's slings.

About 1 million of the slings were recalled in the United States, and about 15,000 were affected in Canada, according to the joint release.

"In the first few months of life, babies cannot control their heads because of weak neck muscles. The sling's fabric can press against an infant's nose and mouth, blocking the baby's breathing and rapidly suffocating a baby within a minute or two," the joint statement said. "Additionally, where a sling keeps the infant in a curled position bending the chin toward the chest, the airways can be restricted, limiting the oxygen supply. The baby will not be able to cry for help and can slowly suffocate."

Attorneys for Infantino referred requests for comment to a public relations firm that sent CNN the statement from the company's president. The company has not filed any pleadings in the case except for a notice to remove the case from the Marion County Circuit Court in Oregon to the United States District Court for the District of Oregon.

Cochran isn't the only mother blaming Infantino's SlingRider for an infant's death. Anthoinette Medley is planning to sue Infantino for the death of 3-month-old Nelsir on February 20, 2009, said her lawyer, Alan Feldman.

His twin, Timir, was in an identical sling over Medley's other shoulder as she walked through the Gallery at Market East in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

She saw an old friend who hadn't seen her new children yet, Feldman said, and Medley was eager to show them off.

"That's when she discovered a tiny bit of blood on the baby's bib and ran to the bathroom," Feldman said.

Nelsir was taken to Thomas Jefferson University Hospital and pronounced dead later, Feldman said.

"I will never get to hear him call me Mommy. I will never get to see him take a first step," Anthoinette Medley told CNN affiliate WPVI.

Feldman said he is not satisfied with the recall.

"If you recognize that your product is not safe, and you realize that babies have died, you should stop babies and moms from using the product," he said.

Infantino's president said the company's announcement of a free replacement program reflects its commitment to safety as its highest priority.

"As a company, Infantino conducts extensive safety testing internally as well as with third party experts, regardless of whether official safety standards have been established. We will continue to play a leadership role in the industry and to cooperate closely with CPSC as it continues its investigation of all baby slings," Vresics said.

Cochran said the sling came highly recommended, especially for breast-feeding mothers. A neighbor had one, she said, as did a friend's cousin. She even carried Derrik to his first doctor's visit in the sling.

"There were a lot of people who had this sling, and it seemed like a great thing," she said.

Cochran says she broke down after Derrik's death. Simple chores became extremely taxing. She neglected going to the grocery store and bank. She had trouble getting out of bed, showering, even talking on the phone.

"I was kind of hysterical. I was kind of not quite with it for several months, actually. I neglected going to the grocery stores or anywhere I would commonly frequent," she said.

"It was just hard to even be in a situation like this because the first thing everyone asks is, 'How's the baby?' "

Cochran, a manager for a housecleaning service in Keizer, lost Derrik's twin in the first trimester of her pregnancy, she said. She is pregnant again with a girl who is due in June.

"I'm doing a lot better now, especially that I have another one on the way," she said.

"Hopefully, there won't be any more babies that die and any more families that have to go through what me and my family have gone through."

Let The Complaining Begin!

2010-03-23T23:52:00.004+08:00

1. Since the baby haven't convert to full time cloth diapering, he's using Huggies disposable diapers as the unhealthy-for-the-Earth-and-daddy's-pocket alternative. Huggies have been good to his skin and hardly ever leak. But as of late, I feel that their quality has been decreasing.

I've encounter this same problem for about 5 times already. Instead of having it go to waste, I sew it back on and it's good to go. But what irks me off is that how can it tear off in the first place?

2. Motherhood Expo 2010 at MidValley Megamall was mediocre, in my opinion. I even had an unpleasant experience at the You Have A Baby booth. There I was trying on the Autumz nursing poncho when one of the sales lady rudely snatch it away from me, just to pass it to another customer who was asking about the poncho. The customer was the same race as the sales lady, perhaps that was why she didn't give a flying dung that I, who was a customer also, was trying on the nursing poncho. There were a couple of sales ladies who were clearly embarrassed about their colleague and were very apologetic. They quickly got another sample for me, and by the time they did, the rude lady came back to me and get this, RUDELY offered to help me to put it on. I couldn't tolerate it any longer. So I said,

"You are so rude. Forget it. I'm not going to buy anything from you."

and walked away. I don't know whether she heard me because the hall was obviously noisy. But fish laaa, I really wanted to buy the poncho. On the website it's selling for RM 43.90, but at the expo it was only RM 30. *sigh*

3. The ants at my place are starting to irritate the crap out of me. Rasa macam nak ajak gaduh je. So yesterday I went to Giant and got the King Kong Ant Killer. It wasn't until late at night when I opened the box and found this

It should have two traps inside the box, BUT, IT WAS FRIGGIN' EMPTY!!! It took me a whole 2 minutes to realize it. I was blinking stupidly, peeped inside the box, blinking again, peeped again, and then cue the cursing.

Many thanks to Giant and their staffs who were very helpful and gave me a new box today. Jaga-jaga kau ye, semut!

A Date With Husband And Alice

2010-03-05T23:15:00.014+08:00

Super excited to go see this. Firstly because this will be my first time ever watching a movie in 3D (yes, yes, saya sangat ketinggalan zaman). Secondly, I've been a fan of Tim Burton's work ever since I saw Nightmare Before Christmas, back when Laser Discs were the shiznit and my mother rented that movie on LD. I played it on repeat mode for about gazillion times. And thirdly, this will be my second time going to the movies since the baby is around. The first was Sherlock Holmes, which was a bit disappointing because the storyline is great but somehow the cinema screen's brightness was dimmed down, making the whole movie very dark and hard to watch.

So, please Alice, don't disappoint me tomorrow! I have high hopes for you.

Saya Suka Makan

2010-03-05T13:47:00.005+08:00

Our binge last weekend at Italiannies and Spaghetti Grill.

The weekends/holidays and I have a love/hate relationship. Because weekends/holidays means spending time with the loves ones. Spending time with them means we go out and eat. Going out and eat means a bulging tummy. A bulging tummy means a very disturbing sight. But heck, bulging tummy or not, I love food!

Labour Experience Story, 8 Months Later.

2010-03-02T12:27:00.006+08:00

Fresh from the oven!

Reading about Noe and Ayuni's labour experiences made me realize that I should write about my own, so that it won't fade in memory (okay okay, I might have forgotten some details already). I mean, come on, giving birth to your first baby?! You HAVE to treasure that moment. This is going to be a long one. Okay, here we go.

I was in my 38th week. Work was piling at the office as if I won't be going on my maternity leave any time soon. I wanted to start passing on-going jobs to my coworkers, but my superiors said,

"Not just yet! Trust me, you will go past your due date. Now, go continue your work."

If you say so, boss.

While dumping more work on me, my ex-employer said,

"Oh, don't give me that pathetic I-am-pregnant look."

Right.

Later that evening after office hours, I went for my check-up. I told my gynae I was getting quite bad headaches lately, prolly due to the work stress. She checked my blood pressure and it was borderline high. Then she said she was going to perform a vajayjay check-up. Yeah, baby. Vajayjay check-up. I was dreading that moment. My husband had this horror look on his face as if he was the one going to receive it. So she put on her gloves, and in her hand went. My, how lovely that was (/endsarcasm). My husband swore I looked like I was ready to punch my gynae in the face.

Gynae: Oh! You're already dilating 2cm, my dear.
Me: I am?
Husband: (mulut melopong sambil mata terkebil-kebil)
Gynae: Yes, yes. Your water might break anytime tonight. When it does, come straight to the hospital. If it doesn't, then come tomorrow morning at 8:00am and we'll get you admitted. In the meantime, I'll give you some pills to help with your blood pressure.
Me: Yes, ma'am.
Husband: (mulut masih melopong, mata masih terkebil-kebil)

Then off we went to book our ward, went home, made phone calls to families and bosses, frantically pack our things and sent over to my parents' place. I couldn't sleep that night. I was scared that my water might break while I was sleeping and not notice it. I was nervous about giving birth which could happen any time then. I was ecstatic to finally meet the little fella I've been carrying around for 9 months.

Then the morning came, and my water didn't break. We woke up at 6:00am, did our Subuh prayers, and then by 7:00am we went to McDonald's for breakfast. My last, awesome, unhealthy meal before I started my confinement.

After breakfast, we went to the hospital, got admitted, changed into the hospital gown, got into the labour room, and that was when it all started to get blurry as everything happened so fast. There were more vajayjay check-ups, water breaking, high blood pressure, inducing, crying, painkillers, stoned, contractions. Somewhere in between all that, husband told me my senior manager sent a text asking about the status of an account that I was handling. Yeah.

By around 10:00am, my gynae informed me that my blood pressure was high, my baby's head was pointing upwards and his heartbeat got slower every time I had a contraction, therefore I had to get emergency C-section to avoid any complications. I didn't object. Get the baby out safely, that's what matters most. Zap zup zap, I was cut open while the doctors were talking and laughing like they were playing masak-masak with my belly. Husband was holding my hand and tried not to look at my bloody guts. Then my gynae said to me,

"Okay, now we're going to pull your baby out. You're going to feel a bit of a pressure on your stomach but it won't hurt."

I nodded. I felt the pressure, the tugging, and then the relief from my stomach. It was 11:39am. They quickly cleaned up my baby, and I could hear a distant cry. The doctor called my husband to recite Azan to him. Then the nurse came to me with my baby and asked me to give him a kiss. I was so drowsy on painkillers and everything happened so fast that I didn't get a chance to see his face properly. But I remember his cheek was so so warm. And I remember seeing his balls and thought,

"My. Those are big balls."

The first time I properly laid my eyes on our precious bundle of joy was in the ward room. It was surreal. Like, did I really go through all that? The morning sickness, the weight gain, the huge belly, the pregnancy discomforts, the operation, the whole shebang and now I have this little fella in my arms. It was such a small price to pay.

*pant*pant* Okay, penat type.

So there you have it, folks. The story of the beginning of my motherhood journey :)

MIA For A Week

2010-02-25T00:45:00.007+08:00

The whole past week was spent with family, eating, meeting up with old friends, going to the immigration and being sick. Mostly being sick. I thought I caught the flu bug, but it turned out I got myself Mastitis. Yessiree. It was not a pretty experience. My body temperature was high, my breast was swollen and painful, I was shivering cold even when I was all wrapped up in thick clothing and hiding underneath the comforter with no AC nor fan switched on. One week on antibiotics and I'm all better now, Alhamdulillah.

Right, moving along.

On Wednesday (right after the Chinese New Year public holiday), husband and I thought,

"Oh, everyone's back to work, so the immigration must be less crowded."

Wrong! We went to the one in Shah Alam, and the crowd was insane. Just to take a number would've taken us about an hour. I heard people saying that they went to almost every immigration in the Klang Valley, and it was jam packed everywhere. But thanks to daddy-in-law, we managed to get everything done within 2 hours, huzahh! We paid RM150 for 5 years validity. So now my baby boy is a proud holder of his own international passport.

In case you're wondering what you need to bring if you want to apply for your baby's passport, here is the checklist:

• Two (2) copies of baby's passport photo
• Baby's MyKid
• One (1) photocopy of baby's MyKid
• Yours and your spouse's MyKad
• One (1) photocopy each of yours and your spouse's MyKad
• Original baby's birth certificate
• One (1) photocopy of your baby's birth certificate
• And of course, the baby himself!

Alternatively, you can check out the Immigration Department of Malaysia's website.

A point to remember if you're planning to collect the passport on a different day: Make sure to bring your baby along!! The immigration won't release the passport unless they see the baby in person, no matter what documents you bring to proof that you're the baby's parent.

And on to the eating part. I wanted to take more food shots, but I tend to remember to do so after I've gobbled down half of the food portion, some even until the last bite. That said, I present to you the photo of our half-eaten Yee Sang :P

Save Our Earth (And Our Pockets, Too)

2010-02-12T13:07:00.012+08:00

My baby has finally jumped onto the Cloth Diaper bandwagon! My generous and super awesome mother-in-law bought him a couple of Lunatots Cloth Diaper (snap button with pocket), costing RM46 each at Amcorp Mall. We're planning to get him a few more, perhaps the ones with prints on it.

What exactly is Cloth Diaper, you might ask. Please read on, this was taken from Lunatots leaflet.

Concept of Modern Diapers (Cloth Diaper)

Modern diapers also known as Cloth Diaper (CD) is fairly new in Malaysia as a safe alternative in diapering your babies. No extreme chemical exposure to your child as the material is made from cloth. CD is a good choice in terms of financial for couples who have more than one child that are still using nappies. And it is also practical for working parents as it is easy to handle compared to the traditional cloth diaper. Use of CD is also proven to expedite the process of potty training as the normal disposable diaper contains chemical absorption gel which makes your child feels dry and comfortable. Hence the natural process of potty training was delayed.

Head on to Lunatots Cloth Diaper Articles page to read more on Cloth Diapers.

And of course, we need a fashion shot, yes?

By the way, do you know that disposable diapers take an estimated 500 years to decompose? It is the third biggest source of pollution even though only 5% of the world's population use it.

Unnecessary Pull Over

2010-02-11T14:55:00.010+08:00

For the second time in a week, I got pulled over at a roadblock today. So I stopped my car by the road side, took out my MyKad and driver's license while the cop walked over. Opened the window, gave him a small irritated smile and handed him all of my identification cards. Why irritated? They've been holding this roadblock at the very same spot for a couple of months now. And I have to pass this spot to get out of my parents' housing area. And and and, do I really look that suspicious to get pulled over? Anyways.

Abang Polis: (took my IDs. checked my road tax. read my name out loud). Nak pegi mane ni?

Me: Nak pegi gym.

Abang Polis: Gym? Angkat besi ke?

Me: Hah? Takde lah angkat besi. Exercise je. Kang angkat besi badan jadi ketul-ketul, tak cantik lah pulak, ye tak?

Abang Polis: Heh heh.. (looking at my address on Mykad) Rumah kat mane ni?

Me: Belakang ni je. Roundabout belok kanan.

Abang Polis: Yeke? Kalau saya carik, boleh jumpa ke?

Me: Eh, boleehhhh.. Tapi tu rumah mak saya. Saya tinggal dengan suami kat rumah sendiri.

Abang Polis: Heh heh.. Dan dan je dah kahwin.

Me: Eh, betul lah dah kahwin! Tak caye? (took out my marriage ID card and passed it to him). Ni hah. Dah ada anak dah pun. Umur 8 bulan.

Abang Polis: (looking at the card). Heh heh.. Melepas saya.

Me: KAH KAH KAH (grabbed all of my IDs and shoved it into my handbag). Kthxbai! (Drove off).

Three minutes of my life that I will never get back.

Menu Of The Day: Pea Puree

2010-02-08T11:59:00.012+08:00

Ever since my son started solid food, his menu has been consisting of rice cereal, banana puree, apple puree, pear puree and pumpkin puree. All of these were prepared by husband and I (except the rice cereal). So for his next new food, we decided to introduce peas.

The husband spent close to an hour blending the cooked peas to get a smooth texture. Looks yummy, eh?

Then, the pureed peas were poured into ice cube trays to be frozen and stored.

And the verdict? For the first attempt, I fed him the puree plus breast milk without adding any rice cereal, but he didn't quite like it. So for the second attempt, I mixed rice cereal and breast milk together with the puree, and he liked it a whole lot better, hurrah!

Extracted from Wholesomebabyfood.com:

The Goodness of Peas

The nutritional value of peas is amazing when you think of the small size of a cup of peas. One cup of peas contains more protein that a tablespoon of peanut butter and also provides calcium, Vitamin A and C and Iron too.

These wonderful vegetables are a great first "green" food for baby as they are nutritious, and mostly pleasant to eat.

And for those of you who doesn't want to buy baby food off the shelves but don't quite have the time to prepare the food yourself, you can check out Baby Ambrosia. They sell freshly made baby and toddler meals, and you can find their kiosk in The Curve. I'm considering buying it one day, just to give it a try!

Chocolate Crave Attack

2010-02-05T13:05:00.005+08:00

Chocolate Zucchini Mini-Muffins

Chocolate Cream Pie

Chocolate Griddle Cakes with Chocolate Sauce

All from Epicurious.com. I want I want I want!

Rantings #002

2010-02-02T15:37:00.005+08:00

I met someone I know today. Any normal person would ask,

"Hey, how are you? How's married life? How's parenthood? It's wonderful, isn't it?"

But what came out from this person's mouth was,

"Hey, how's married life? How's parenthood? It's boring, isn't it?"

What the eff? Just because you have a depressing marriage doesn't mean everyone else is going through the same thing. So I answered politely,

"Being married is great. Being a mother is awesome. I am happier than ever."

I was hoping that would shut him up. Then he came up with another bunch of questions.

"Do you and your husband fight? What do you fight about? Do you fight about your son? Do you scold him when the house is dirty? Do you? Do you??"

If his intention was to make me angry, he certainly achieved it. But, while trying not to show it, I asked him,

"Is there a married couple that doesn't fight? Please, if you do know any, introduce me to them."

Before he could open his mouth, another person walked into the room and unknowingly saved this ridiculous man from getting slapped silly.

I don't know if he realized that his questions were plain rude. And what made him think that I would confide in him about what goes on in my marriage? I'd rather confide in a goat.

/endrant

Milestones

2010-01-31T00:35:00.004+08:00

7 months and 17 days old. He has two teeth, crawling and pulling himself up to a stand. My precious, you're growing up so fast.

(The boy in the background is pretending to be a sea lion. He's quite good at it actually!)

Takut Jadi Gemuk?

2010-01-29T10:58:00.007+08:00

So I was flipping through Harian Metro when I came across this London Weight Management print advert. Can you spot what is terribly wrong with one of the models' outfit?

I mean really, why even bother covering the head when the breasts are spilling out from the tube?

Dream, Dream, Dream

2010-01-29T01:18:00.008+08:00

We all have a wish list that we make every now and then when that urge to splurge (but no money!) kicks in. There is a list that contain items that are within our reach, and then there is another that is waayyyy out of our budget. I guess we call that a dream list? Thanks to my constant day-dreaming sessions (no, that's not the reason for the lack of updates), I made a list of my own with hopes it can be turned into a wish list some time in the future. Anyway, it doesn't hurt to dream, eh?

My ultimate dream is to own a modern home. It need not be huge. Just a small and cozy one will do, as long as the design is minimal and contemporary.

I'm not much a car person. But these, ladies and gents, THESE are sex on wheels.

It is women's nature to have this crazy obsession over shoes. Some even spend thousands for just a pair. I'm not brand conscious, but these Christian Louboutin heels scream SEXY. Getting a pair would make my bank account die a painful death.

I am pro-Macintosh. Ever heard the saying "Once you go Mac, you'll never go back"? Haha. My Powerbook G4 (or rather, my husband's) has served us for a good 7 years, but we're in desperate need for an upgrade.

Up to this day, I've had about five dreams involving me going to Germany. The meaning behind those dreams? I guess I'd have to go there to find out.

Moving Fast?

2009-12-23T23:03:00.005+08:00

I've always felt like I move faster in life than friends my age, and I'm not saying this to be cocky.

At 21, I completed my diploma, while my friends were still studying theirs.

At 22, I got myself a job at a local advertising agency, while they were pursuing their degrees (no, I don't have a degree).

At 25, I got married to the guy I've been dating since the year 2000, while they were just starting their working lives at big companies, with the likes of Petronas, Celcom, CIMB, Nestle and Media Prima.

Now at 26, I am blessed with a son, while they are either dating, engaged or enjoying single lives. And at 26 also, I gave up working life, while my friends are working their way up the corporate ladder.

Sometimes I feel like a loser, seeing everyone busy with their career lives, earning big bucks and enjoying all the luxuries, while me, just a housewife. I run around in t-shirt and jeans, hair up in a ponytail and face sans make-up, while others, prim and proper in their power suits.

Pardon the sliver!

But, as corny as it may sound, whenever I look at my son's face, when he smiles, how his eyes lit up when he sees me, I realize that all those that I'm missing out aren't nearly as important as he is. I'm happy to be able to be close to him, take care of him and witnessing each of his milestones. There is nothing more satisfying than that. Moving too fast or not, I don't regret any of the decisions I've made.

Coolest Baby Book. Ever.

2009-12-16T23:24:00.008+08:00

The Baby Owner's Manual
Operating Instructions, Trouble-Shooting Tips, And Advice On First-Year Maintenance

This book has got to be the coolest baby book I've ever encounter. For only RM8.00, my mother-in-law got this at the book fair at Amcorp Mall a few weeks back. What a steal!

I love the clever technical concept (how the author refer infants as models, parents as users and paediatricians as service provider), the look and feel (using only blue, orange and brown) and the design (illustrations and typography). The content is easy to read, straight to the point, humorous and definitely entertaining. Everything about this book gets two thumbs up from me.

I've not finished reading it yet, but I've found some tips under the Medical Maintenance section that I'd like to share:

1. Congestion
If your baby's nasal passages are impeded by mucus, you can bring the baby's car seat inside and strap her into it at bedtime. Sleeping propped up will help her drain the congestion.

2. Hiccups
Blow on the baby's face. This might cause him to inhale quickly and change the movement of his diaphragm.

3. Diarrhea
Add a dash of yogurt to the baby's meal. The active cultures found in yogurt can help to restore her regular stool.

4. Fever
If the baby's temperature is at or above 103.5 degrees Fahrenheit, the baby has a high fever and the baby's service provider should be contacted immediately. Sponge her with warm water, which evaporates quickly and cools the baby faster than cold water, and give her small doses of ibuprofen every four hours. If the baby's fever remains at this level, there is good reason to suspect a secondary infection.

Rantings On Manners and Knowledge

2009-12-07T00:23:00.007+08:00

During the weekend, we went to Sunway Pyramid and had Ayam Penyet Ria for lunch, which was pretty good. I personally like the sambal because it is super spicy.

After husband and I satisfied our stomachs, it was my baby's turn to satisfy his so I went to the baby room in Jusco. They had an area for changing diapers and private sections for breastfeeding. While breastfeeding, I was rudely interrupted twice. One was a Malay girl and the other one was a Chinese woman. Giving them the benefit of a doubt, they might have thought that the section was empty even though the curtain was clearly drawn. But what irked me the most was not only they didn't apologize, they didn't even have the decency to close back the curtain. Where are your manners, people?

Image from z.hubpages.com

Today, I was pressured by a couple of people to let my baby drink plain water.

"Oh, look at him! He's thirsty. You HAVE to give him water!"

It's difficult to talk to these people when they think they know more than a young mother like me.

Extracted from Baby Center:

In general, it's not a good idea to give your baby water until he's about 6 months old. Until then, he'll get all the hydration he needs from breast milk or formula, even in hot weather.

Giving a baby younger than 6 months old too much water can interfere with his body's ability to absorb the nutrients in breast milk or formula. It can also cause his tummy to feel full, which curbs his desire to feed.

Work It, Woman!

2009-12-03T00:01:00.005+08:00

Image from www.ellipticaltrainers.us

You know you're SO out of shape when a 50 year old woman can last 30 minutes on the Elliptical machine, while you, a 26 year old woman, can barely last 5 minutes without feeling your legs are going to fall out.

I kid you not.

First Day On Solid Food

2009-11-28T23:45:00.005+08:00

Today marks the first day my baby starts eating solid food.

Prior today, I paid a few visits to the supermarket to survey on baby rice cereals. No doubt, Nestle products dominate the shelves at the baby food section. But after reading about the Nestle boycott, I decided to get Heinz Baby's First Rice Cereal.

One teaspoon of the rice cereal mixed with a bit of expressed breast milk to get a thin consistency. Baby was grinning from ear to ear when we fed him!

Bittersweet Memories

2009-11-27T12:47:00.006+08:00

Talking about being pregnant with my ex-schoolmate (who just gave birth to a beautiful baby girl) and ex-colleague (who is in her third trimester now) brought back some bittersweet memories when I was pregnant myself. Lots of memories, but these stood out the most.

On my 3rd month, my sister found my 4 year old nephew unconscious in the pool. He was on life support for 3 days, and the doctors couldn't give us any certainty that he would make it. Tears, grief and dark clouds surrounded our family. On the fourth day, God Almighty, my nephew woke up. For the first time ever, I believed in miracle.

On my 4th month, I got hospitalized for 4 days due to food poisoning after having satay at R&R Dengkil. That was my first time getting admitted into a hospital.

On my 5th month, due to the crazy pregnant women's hormones, a small misunderstanding with my mother lead to a huge, huge fight. Lots of shouts and tears, it was ugly. But we patch things up the next day. I'd have to say, that fight made our relationship better now.

On my 6th month, I was stopped by a man as I was about to go up to my office. He asked me whether I work there, passed me a projector and requested for me to hand it to my boss. The projector was heavy. I thought to myself,

"WTF is he thinking asking a pregnant woman carry this heavy thing?!"

But I kept my mouth shut and carried the darn thing up to the office. Later in the day, my boss came up to me and said that the man (who was his friend as it turned out) texted him saying:

"I passed the projector to the hot chick who works at your office."

That left me speechless for a minute there. So I guess he didn't notice me from the neck down. Either that, or he has a thing for pregnant women (which is a bit creepy if he does!).

On my 7th month, I stopped by Petronas on my way back home from work. It was 7pm. After filling the fuel, my car wouldn't start. The battery died. Oh, the joy it was. The alarm went off like mad, and all I got was looks and glances from other customers and workers who were mostly men. I tried calling my husband (who was still at the office) but there was no answer. I figured he must be praying as it was Maghrib time. After a good 5 minutes of me struggling, a man came up to me and said,

"Your car battery is dead"

and went off, not offering any help. Well, thank you for stating the obvious, mister. In the end, I called up my husband's friend who lives nearby the petrol pump. He showed up 5 minutes later and jump start my car. My lifesaver. God bless him.

And throughout the whole 9 months of being pregnant, there were only two times that someone let me jump the queue. Once was a man at the kedai makan, and the other one was a woman in a pharmacy. So much for getting special treatment for being pregnant, huh? Also, not to mention countless of dirty/weird looks from strangers (mostly Malays), as if saying,

"She's pregnant?? She looks young! Is she already married? Or is it a love child??"

Or maybe it was just me being perasan.

Quick Update

2009-11-26T00:40:00.006+08:00

Oh wow, my last update was two weeks ago, huh? Alrighty, here's a quick recap of what have happened since:

14 November 2009, was my husband's birthday. As usual I'd ask him,

"What do you want for your birthday, sayang?"

Usually he'd answer,

"Just a dinner will do."

But this time around, he said,

"I already have you as my birthday present for the rest of my life."

How can I not feel blessed with that kind of response? So I got him a Lumix LX3, which he had been raving on about for months now other than Nikon D90.

16 November 2009, I sprained my leg muscles during my workout, which lasted until today. So sakit, okay?!

22 November 2009, my baby boy pulled an all-nighter for the first time since he established a sleeping pattern when he was 2 months old.

23 November 2009, now that he's 5 months and 2 weeks old, my baby started showing signs that he's ready for solid food. So I've been prepping up for the big day. He's growing up so fast :(

25 November 2009, I created a new blog, photoplaybox, to display photos that was taken using the husband's brand new baby. We're not professional photographers. We just play around and snap :)

Sweat Time

2009-11-09T23:15:00.003+08:00

Today's workout was long overdue. I'm not much of a sports person. It's safe to say that the last time I went for a jog was a year ago. Now, the only exercise I do is walking up and down the stairs, and lifting the 8 plus kilos living dumb-bell (a.k.a my baby boy). But then again, that's not enough. I need to make this sweat time a routine from now on. Live healthily! Plus, my InBody result says I'm 3 kilos over my ideal weight. Boo.

Everyone Connects .Net

2009-11-06T00:55:00.004+08:00

I am loving this TVC. It is so nicely done, it gives me goosebumps. I hope there'll be more quality TVC produced from now on, from the concept up to the execution.

Stolen

2009-11-04T17:55:00.003+08:00

Last night, between 8:15pm to 10:30pm, my sister-in-law's boyfriend's car got stolen. A white Proton Putra, parked outside Kelana Puteri Apartment in Kelana Jaya. At approximately 11pm, his friend saw the car at Glenmarie. So he rushed there, but as luck would have it, the car was nowhere to be seen. Just thinking about it makes me feel so angry of these low-life dungbags who have nothing better to do but steal from other people.

A few years back, my mother's plate number got stolen. Front and back. A couple of hours after we noticed it was gone, my then boyfriend (now husband) saw a Proton Waja using the plate in Bangsar. He tried to chase the car, but he's no racer (sorry, hun!).

On a lighter note, once when I thought my car was stolen (turned out I forgot where I parked), the first thing that came to mind was,

"Oh crap. My shoes!"

Because you see, my car was a moving shoe closet. Har har.

Be Careful Of What You Wish For

2009-11-02T23:47:00.002+08:00

Have you ever wish for something so hard you end up getting it, except not quite like what you imagined it would be?

My mother-in-law just told me about a pregnant lady who wished that her baby will be as pretty as a doll. Yes, her baby came out very pretty, just like a doll.

Except, the baby is mute. Just like a doll.

I've an experience of my own. Last year, there was this big deal pitch that my team and I have been working on for a whole month. I was so nervous about presenting that I wished so hard that my director would do it instead of myself.

On the morning of the presentation, I received a terrible news. So terrible that it haunts me up to this day. My little nephew was rushed to the ER, as he was found at the bottom of the swimming pool, unconscious and blue in the face. I had to take emergency leave, so my director ended up doing the big presentation.

See? I got exactly what I wished for.

Express Lunch

2009-11-02T13:57:00.007+08:00

The baby's taking a nap, so I whipped up myself a quick lunch.

This might not look too appetizing, but trust me, it's quite good! What I did was pour a packet of Campbell's Instant Soup - Mushroom Cheese with Croutons onto some boiled spaghetti. Try it. And while you're at it, you can add some chili flakes to give it a lil spice.

Sesi Bahasa Melayu

2009-11-02T00:33:00.002+08:00

I must admit, my Bahasa Melayu is not that good, but I'm not saying my English is perfect either. Ask me to converse in proper Bahasa Melayu, and you'll hear me slipping in English words before the end on my second sentence. Lately I've come across a few Malay words that made me go blank in the face. Let me share some with you (if you've not already know these words):

1. Laman Sesawang, means Website

2. Terjun Lelabah, means Bungee Jumping

3. Ibu Sawat, means Telephone Exchange

Fascinating, isn't it?

31% on 31st

2009-10-31T22:44:00.004+08:00

I'm sure all you ice-cream lovers are aware of the 31% discount on the 31st at Baskin Robbins. So today, husband and I made our way to their outlet in Damansara Uptown. After queuing for 50 minutes (I was this close to walking out and head back half-way through), we finally got our 2 pints. Cookies & Cream and Vanilla for the husband, Maui Chocolate Madness and Chocolate Mousse Royale for me. Well, there goes my diet!

So did you get your Baskin Robbins today?

Mothercare Opening Promotion

2009-10-31T01:41:00.007+08:00

Dear parents/ soon-to-be parents,

Mothercare is opening in Bangsar Shopping Center and they'll be having an opening promotion from 1st to 15th November 2009.

Shoppinnnnnggg!

On Strike!

2009-10-30T01:17:00.006+08:00

Image from stock.xchng

I came across a thread at SusuIbu.com forum about babies refusing to direct feed, and it reminded me of a period when my baby had a nursing strike a couple of weeks after I resumed my hectic working life. Determined to get him to direct feed again, I did some Googling on how to do so. Armed with the information that I've found, I spent a few challenging weeks (after I've resigned) trying it out, and resulted in success.

So, I'd like to share some of the steps that I've tried:

1. When the baby refuses the breast, try feeding him your expressed breast milk with a spoon/ cup/ syringe. After that, try offering your breast to him. If he still refuses, continue feeding him with the items mentioned. Bottle should be the last resort.

2. Increase skin-to-skin contact. Take your top off and leave your baby in his diapers only, and spend time playing, touching and hugging.

3. Make sure the room is quiet, dim and cool. We want the baby to feel at ease with no distractions.

4. Don't force the baby. The last thing we want is to get the baby traumatized by the sight of our breasts.

5. Unless you want to see him throwing a tantrum, try these steps when he is not too hungry.

6. And most importantly, you have to have lots patience and don't give up.

We all want the best for our babies. For those of you who are facing this same problem, I hope these steps will help you and I wish you good luck!

Because, Laughter Is The Best Medicine

2009-10-29T00:25:00.005+08:00

Baby's On The Way! (Part 2)

2009-10-27T23:41:00.004+08:00

Image from stock.xchng

Based from experience, I've gathered a few shopping/ preparation tips for you new expectant mothers and fathers:

1. Stock up on well-known branded diapers, as they have more quality compared to the one that aren't, well, not that well-known. Newborn babies have sensitive skin, therefore you need to test out which brand suits them best (and also suits your wallet). Myself, I stocked up on Mami Poko, Huggies and Drypers. My baby didn't have any skin reaction towards Mami Poko and Huggies. Drypers, on the other hand, gave him blisters.

2. Go easy when buying baby care items. Because firstly, as I've mentioned, babies have sensitive skin, so they don't need us slapping on anything and everything on them. And secondly, you'll be surprised at the amount of baby care items people will give you when they come for a visit. My baby's 4 months and two weeks old, and I still have lots of baby care stock stashed away.

3. Baby cot, stroller and car seat can wait if you have limited shopping funds. This is because your baby will end up sleeping on the bed with you so breastfeeding will be a lot easier, otherwise you will need to carry him in and out of his cot every feeding time. As for the stroller and car seat, you won't be bringing your baby out anytime soon until he's at least 3 months old (or right after the 2 months confinement period for those eager new parents).

4. Do not buy too many clothing sized for newborns, as babies grow at a very fast rate. Buy the ones sized for 3 months old onwards. I can say there are quite a number of clothing that my baby didn't get a chance to wear at all!

5. Survey, survey, survey. If you have an eye for a pricey item, make sure you survey a few places first before making the purchase. For example, I wanted to get Medela Harmony, retailing at RM249 at Metrojaya. Then I went to Babyland in SS2, PJ, and they had 10% discount on it. I didn't stop there. A week later I went to Robinsons, The Gardens, and they had 20% discount on Medela Harmony.

6. Preferably, don't get the modern swaddling blanket as it is too easy for babies to 'escape' from being swaddled. Get the traditional swaddling blanket and secure it with a safety pin. But first, you'd need to learn how to swaddle them, yes? Easy peasy.

7. Before you start splurging, ask your siblings/ relatives whether they have anything they want to hand-down to you.

Baby's On The Way!

2009-10-26T23:47:00.007+08:00

So you just receive the great news. You're expecting a new family member! That means bigger responsibilities, a change in lifestyle, and of course, a reason for a guilt-free shopping session. Though shopping for your new family member is fun, you need to be selective of your purchases as you don't want to over-spend on unnecessary items. Therefore, it is wise to prepare a checklist beforehand.

This checklist I'm sharing with you was compiled from the world wide web (I forgot to take down the exact sources, sorry!), tweaked and designed by yours truly. Just click on the pink one (for baby girl) or blue (for baby boy) to download the PDF file.