Children’s favorite author February 22, 2012

I have started with this idea of less television and less ipod for my son, and looks like from after dinner to bedtime there is a lot of hours to fill with activities. I usually read to him, read again, play flashcards, play his favourite choo choo train, chatting, singing and colouring. I think i represent a handful of mothers when i say it is not easy to get a usually agitated boy to sit nicely and focus reading or playing something. I find that he likes a certain book, and rejects certain books. So i made a little research and found that there are actually award winning Read Aloud Books/Authors/Illustrators. And people have commented that their children love the books and illustrations. True enough, when Luqman started reading Axel Scheffler books and Julia Donaldson, he becomes very focused, interested and he can relate to the characters in the book. Here are some of his favourites:

1) Pip and Posy: The Scary Monster

“Posy is happily baking cakes when a scary monster appears! Poor Posy! She feels quite frightened – until she sees that it’s not a real monster after all, but Pip dressed in a costume.

A funny story for the very young, with gentle lessons about being brave and taking turns.”

This is such a good book for 2-3 year olds, maybe even younger kids. I highly recommend this book. My son loves the monster character, he learned many new words like oven and apron, he could directly relate the activities of Posy to our daily life. The illustrations are great.

2) The Enormous Turnip
Must i describe more? It was my favourite book too when i was younger. But the book that i got for Luq is from the Childrens Osborne Collection, MPH RM11.00 only. Luq loves the farmer and dog and cow characters. He could pronounce turnip very early too. A simple story that children can follow.

3) Puddle Jumping

This is my son’s favourite book too. I bought three books from this Hello Friends collection, but this is the title he likes so much. It’s a simple story about bravery (justthe sheep jumping over the puddle actually!), but 2 year olds can learn simple words like owl and puddle is great enough. There is a little suspense when the sheep actually agree to jump over the puddle! Try it and your kids will love the suspense!

4) The Clever Rabbit and the Lion

When i introduced this book to Luqman, his vocab improved and he became so obsessed with lions till today. Words that he quickly learned is lion, rabbit, antelope, cicak (hahah!), claws, water. Quick reading and a good story too.

Future books:
The Gruffalo

I just found out that The Gruffalo is one of the most famous award winning read alud books in the UK. Same illustrator as the Scary Monster. I just bought this book, and i have to admit it is a book for older readers probably 3-4 year old. But the way the story is told and it’s illustration, it is FTW!

So have fun and good luck with your young readers!

Welcome, Dragon new year. February 9, 2012

I have so much to catch up! Not to mention this 2012 is going to be another great year of the Dragon..:)
Work has been great, altho the travel to work is my constant complain. but there’s not much you can ask when you come home to a happy and healthy toddler, all smiles and perky!
Luqman turned 2 on 25th December, we were back in Langkawi so we took him picnicking and boat rides across the island. What a day to remember for my little one! It thrills me that he is 2, but i feel a bit sad as my baby is growing up way too fast! 😦

I have so much travel plans for 2012, it’s going to be an exciting year taking the toddler around and hearing him say so much. We took him to the zoo last weekend and it amazes me how he knows almost every animal in the zoo :p I have an animal lover in the house!
So give it to us, dear Dragon!

My favourite people. June 14, 2011

When we look at pictures, we see that our kids grow really fast, sometimes faster than us. The fact that they grow up into bigger people, makes us, older people. The fact that we have children today (talking in reverse now) makes us feel really really old and how time flies super fast that sometimes you cannot remember how things have evolved in your life.
I thank God for friends. I look at my 30th birthday party photos where my favourite people threw a super surprise party for me at a chic restaurant, and gosh i am blessed. I dont remember the food or drink, honestly i didnt eat much that night, or even the fav red velvet cake. I just remember that my mini famly was there, and my most favourite friends who i grew up with were there under the dimmed light. I wanted the moment to stay there forever! Altho I am today 30 and we all have grown up, and i miss our past terribly, i know that life will always always remain great with my favourite people around 🙂

Book worm June 13, 2011

Reading books is my number one favourite hobbies of all time. I spent hundreds on books a year, and i really dont mind. My best outing must include a stop at a good bookstore. I think my son has followed my footsteps because he loves reading books all the time:)
At our new house, i purchased a set of glass bookshelves to place my greatest treasure: My books collection.
This year, i have come out of the reading drought. I have managed to read a couple of good books ,thanks to my son’s pleasurable sleep routines, and better management at the office.
I have joined Goodreads.com and hope will meet more book-friends there. There’s just so much we can share in this book-network!
In this ipod and ipad age, it is actually rather difficult to find friends with the same page-turning interest. Rarely that i would find a soul who share the same book interest as me, or who be ok in investing time and money into this century old hobby.
But most importantly, i think we must make our kids learn the love of books. I try to read to him daily, or take him to bookstores and sit on this little chair and enjoy reading.
It’s just Mommy & my little Bee, reading together 🙂

As Baby Grows Up May 23, 2011

Visited my best friend’s newborn baby girl yesterday and it’s just so wonderful when happy news settles in one of my best buddies. She’s been my best fren for so many years, we shared hostels, beds, storybooks, opinions, job applications, ..and now we are sharing stories about our mini families and kids. Life indeed is very beautiful. Alhamdulillah.
On my part, Luq is growing up to be a real busy bee. He can understand a lot of things that i say now, and can utter so many words (much to my amazement at just 1.5years!), and just yesterday he leraned how to draw (more like scribble). I try to encourage him to do more things in a day, and i try to limit tv time altho he is quite obsessed with the Ipins and Elmo. I just want him to be more active, altho i must admit that i watched a lot of cartoons when i was small and that was one of the best ways to learn language:). Balance is good 🙂 We have activities of playing with toys, getting on the tricyle, going to the park, jogging at the park, reading books, playing catch, drawing etc. My son is really growing up really fast and i will miss these special days with him!
Another update is that we are planning to move to a bigger place in P16. That’s like 40mins of driving to work for me, and it’s not possible to send my son and the maid to nenek’s anymore. There are a lot of adjustments waiting for us. I’m asking my mom to spend her weekdays at our place, so she can keep my son company. I truly hope she will agree, then i can leave them at home in peace. It’s not that i dont trust my maid alone with my baby, but i really really am paranoid that they are just left alone in a lonely house during the day. I think safety of my hommies is essential. It’s really better to be safe than sorry!
I also feel that my mum (second to me that is!) is a better teacher to my son than anybody else. My son has learnt so much from his nenek, and i am thankful that he has been given full attention when i am away.
After observing how my maid takes care of him, i am positive that she truly loves him like his own adik and will take care of him as best as possible. But on the long run i still wish i am there 24-7. It’s just not the same when a mom only get to spend several hours in a day with baby. I try not to be totally dependant on my maid bcos i know she wont be with us forever. At home, i still cook for my son and family, i still bath him, whenever i can i play with him as much as possible, and i really try very hard to sacrifice my non-working hours just for him, as i remember growin up with my mom with me all the time, and i am trying to give my son all that too.
It helps that my son is still breastfeeding, hence allowing us a lot of mom-baby bonding time to compensate the hours that i am at work. In a way, moms have to sacrifice a lot of social activities just to be with kids. Of course i would love to hang out at malls or play a lot of sports or go to the gym like other people, but in the long run my son will miss a lot of time with his mother, and as for now, that time cannot be compromised.
Sometimes i’d go shopping and pick new toys and books for my son, just to introduce new things so he does not get bored.

There’s so much to do at the new house. Not looking forward to the long drive to and back from work, but must do what’s best for baby!

Our European Trip with the baby May 6, 2011

Mommy Abah and 1 year old Luqman at the Colesseo

The trip was GREEEEAT! We went to London-Paris (1 day)-Venice and Rome. I cannot write enough of how i enjoyed the trip. Shopping. Cafe hopping. Nice early Spring weather. Good food. GREAT friends. Fantastic sights to see. Pasta pasta. Pastry and warm croissant.
The best thing about the trip was travelling with baby. I personally think it was not that hard when you thoroughly prepare for a long journey. It was so much fun and Luqqy Bee was a gem all the way. I want to plan many many more trips with the baby soon!

London: I like best here..
-modern and systematic and english speaking country!
-pancakes near the Big Ben
-so many nice cafes!
-shopping at Primark, Next and Longchamp!
-the London cab! (we took the cab almost everywhere)
-walk walk walk everywhere!

Paris: I like best here…
-the most beautiful scenery ever especially at Notre Dame
-cutest cafes in the world

Venice: what is best…
-life on just water of course!
-the gondola ride!
-small tiny cute souvenir shops selling venetian stuff

Rome: what is best…
-Via Condotti of course!
-the enormous colosseum
-cutest souvenir shops ever!
-that you are in Rome and not anywhere else?

When baby gets sick January 14, 2011

I think its about time i share some things here. Alhamdulillah 1 year with Luqqie Bee, he has been in the pink of health except for 1-2 occassions. My son does not have a specific paeds doctor, altho we have visited one Dr A at TTDI, whose service is so-so, fees is so-so and waiting is long! I would not recommend him 100% but if i need a quick check i would go to him. I still wish there is a more convenient paeds clinic in the neighbourhood.
When our son was a couple of months old he had eczema, not a serious one, but being the Mommy i am, i googled and found a Paeds Dermotologist at DSH. This lady doctor had so many patients but i have to say she was reallly good. Her prescribed creams worked wonderfully and i have recommended her to many friends with kids.
But for Luq’s normal check ups and vaccinations i took him to our resident Klinik Ibu TTDI. I dont have any problems here and their checks are fair and in line with MOH. What more can i ask for when there is free services. They have no qualms if the grandma takes the baby instead of the mom. The clinic altho a govt one, is fairly clean and hygenic.
1-2 times we needed a paed to check Luq’s cold and cough and we have come to a habit of visiting the paeds emergency at UH. Of course after 5pm we go straight to emergency and although the wait can be long, but we have been very happy with the services given to our baby. They have all the facilities to check a baby, even for a mild cough they will cek baby’s oxygen level, weight and tempreture. I know some private paeds dont even do this simple ceks!
Luqqie Bee was born in UH hence its quite easy when the hospital has all his records. If any emergencies oocured the doctors and nurses are trained to know what to do and have enough facilities. That is the comfort i get visiting the paeds hospital altho waiting can be tiring. The medicines prescribed also seem to work wonderfully on my son and his cough was cleared within 2 days. In any event if a baby does not get cured, we are instructed to come back for the doctor to run more tests.
Financially i dont know how much the paeds charge because i work with the government myself and kids get free medical services at govt hospitals. But i am pretty confident they dont charge as much as private paeds. ANd i feel that since its free we might as well use it and make the best out of it. I really cannot understand people who can use free services from public hospitals refusing to use them, instead opt to pay for private services, but at the end of the day complain about their hefty fees. I think its a choice, and if you choose to pay for better environment (and shorter queu) you shoudl just pay and not complain. The choice is really the parents’. if you choose a public hospital, then like us too, you must endure the wait and some things are just not ‘red carpet’.
For now, i am happy that my son’s health is ok, and in cases of emergencies we know where to go and not worry at all about how much the paed will charge!

Milestones and the new year

My little Luqqie Bee turned 1 last Xmas day and i threw him a nice Under the Sea party with loads of pretty decorations i made with my maid. I was so happy the party turned out well, with many friends families and kiddos. Luq had a fantastic time especially in the small pool, and was so exhausted at the end of the day! He received so many nice toys, hence Mommy does not need to but any toys until maybe 2012!
When thinking about one year with my son, the scene can be a bit emotional. I cannot describe how time can really fly! Truthfully i am not ‘puas’ taking care of my son. He grows up too quickly and soon he is no longer a baby! when he sleeps at nite, i will smooch his bald head and cuddle him and kiss him 10 times on the cheeks.
Today, he can say Abah clearly and air, bubu, diddy…he hasnt started walking, soon he will be and i will lose bits and bits of my son as he grows up.
Having a child has really redefined me. I know most moms want to have time outs, or opportunities to be in their skin again etc. But i feel that with a full time job, i spend very little hours with my child, and i miss a lot of prime-time during the day. I try very hard to make it up after work, and weekends. I take my baby almost everywhere because i dont like the seperation anxiety. I dont like having flashes of his smiles and cries when i am away from him when i have a choice of having him near me.I plan all my holidays with a baby in mind. With a child, i knew earlier that i need to sacrifice a lot, for better things. But i never imagine i would be like this 🙂

So this year, like last year my reso is to spend more time raising my child, to be a better mom for my son. Also to travel!!

Expectations December 3, 2010

Expectations is anticipating, looking forward, waiting. More waiting. Waiting with anxiety. I always have expectations, for everything. Work, my kid, my year, my family, friends etc
I wish we’d go there someday.
I want to wear that.
I hope to do that.
I expect to be good at this!

But sitting at the dimmed alexis cafe over a huge meringue pie and iced water, with two crack-jokers, sometimes life has no expectations. I feel the world can stop for a while, listening to a friend’s joke about how she is a mother to her niece and more a mother than an aunt an nobody understands that. Laughing, and thinking life is simple when there is love. Love has no expectations. Love gives in. When there is love everything is okay. Sometimes love is like the wind, you cant see it, but you know it’s there cos you feel it on your cheeks, unexpectedly 🙂

Single mom for a week November 30, 2010

After this experience i must say that being a single mom is not easy! Physically and meantally and emotionally it takes the life out of you. Abah will be home today from Spain and all i want is a man in the house so that we feel secure and a man-ly touch in raising the baby. I need to know that it is safe at night. It is safe when we close the doors in the evening and that door remain close till next morning, never open even if there is a knock on the door. I need to feel safe when i walk in the dark towards the kitchen to make the baby a bottle of warm milk. I need to feel safe when there are weird noises coming from the people upstairs.
I want to have a mini family wherever i go and not just a single mom with a baby and people offering to pay your lunch cos they are amazed at you handling a cranky baby in a crowded place and still manage to say ‘i love spending time with my kid’.

I truly admire single moms out there where ever you are, in simple words you are a supermom!
I believe the way to be a supermom is when you are a single mom in training even for just a week plus.

Cos i needed to make sure meals are prepared, doors are locked, hot irons are left ‘off’, keys are not missing, i know the road to an unknown destination, baby is asleep, baby is awake, floors and toilets are clean, maid is happy , maid is unhappy, cars are locked, tanks are full, strollers have enough air in their wheels, baby’s yogurt are in the fridge…and the list goes on!

But most importantly, the feeling of being single with a child equals to that void feeling that your family is not complete. And you have to tell your baby that, everything is ok, Mommy is always here 🙂