the first commissioned order(s)

I uploaded the two pairs of booties photos I earlier made in my fb page. Exactly 6 minutes after, a friend of mine sent messages requesting for a custom made booties as well.

Honestly, I do not sew with the thought I can make money out of it.

It is more of something that I find it fun, challenging, therapeutic and happiness. Fun because I am able to explore the creative side of me in inventing and finally create a name for the product, challenging in figuring out how to put things together, therapeutic because I just need something else more than the stressful office work load to slow me down and enjoy, happiness to see my baby girl posing in anything I made for her, happiness when people appreciate my handmade gifted to them. That is sewing to me.

However, I can't resist those messages that I mentioned earlier. Till now, I still can't believe that I actually took order for the booties. Here's what I made for her :

I name them Chasing Butterflies

With the help of office secretary, these cuties were couriered to my friend. On the same day, she (the secretary) nagged me that she needed the booties too for her niece.

I said "Dey! i'm busy la.... cannot sew for you!"

She went on and on and on "Aka, please la.. aka.. i make for you coffee every day right after fasting month finish"

Me then had to say "I will try".. to get her not to disturb me anymore so that I could get on with my heap of office work.

After I arrived home, I kept hearing the girl's name : EVE. Such a lovely name, hence these booties.

~ eve ~

Addiction ?

I think I have a sad addiction here or….. may be not. Why do I say so? Let me tell ya the dilemma.

At times when we are needed to, Harris and I drive separate cars to work. I always hated to drive.. and it is a bad thing for me to drive to work also. I tend to stay longer in the office trying to finish up my work because at the back of my mind, I know Harris is not waiting to fetch me downstairs. (I usually unintentionally made him waiting… sometimes up to two hours or more… kalau laki orang lain sure bini dah kena fire!!!…)

So, if I were late… Harris will help to fetch Nada from her Nanny’s. The issue here is, we do not have a car seat in the other car… our old-trustworthy-most loved 1.3L Wira which we will never sell… with plate number WHM 6840, (Now you know where I get my blog page title?). Harris calls her “FELARI”. Harris says… all of the others could come and go but this one will stay with us for as long as she could move. Well, I dreamt a HUMVEE one day so I could just langgar any morons on the road

I don’t really like the idea of placing Nada at the passenger seat unattended though it is just a short 5 minutes drive from the Nanny’s place to our home. Ya…ya…ya… of course Harris fasten the seat belt. I noticed that Harris didn’t go home straight after fetching Nada lately. He sometimes makes way to the Night Market if it is Friday or to the neighborhood convenience store for Nada’s formula or such. This would take longer routes to home, isn’t it?

Say what you like, but this Madam always prefer that cheeky little monster to be ‘tied’ to a car seat. More to her safety… but also to my good. I don’t reckon inculcating a habit for Dew not sitting in a car seat. Once she thought she is free by not sitting in one with her dad, she would want to do the same thing with Mommy.

I know myself, that I am not a very patience person and easily agitated by the simplest reason. So, I can’t be having a toddler wanting to walk about in the car while I am driving. Further more, like I always say… I hate to drive… not shame to admit, I am not a good driver either. Meaning to say, I have to stay focus with my driving with out having to shout my lungs out : “NADA! DON’T STAND!” or “NADA! SIT DOWN!” or “NADA! STAY PUT!”

I believe with the above long winded telling, I have justified myself… that Dew need another car seat!…. or errrrrr…… is this just my addiction?

Anyway, I am thinking of getting her a booster type. Light and easy installation. Pink or raspberry or red or orange color. Of course the not so expensive one. Budget around RM 350 ~ 400.

Maybe from GRACO or Safe N Sound.

However, I haven’t really started with my new surveying and goggling. Oh! I am so afraid I would end up with a big hole in my pocket again.

I guess the saving up by means of me tailoring Dew’s dresses thus far allows me to spend on a new car seat, eh? (Kes nak menyedapkan hati………)

And I have just added a new one to my portfolio… I named it The Royal Velvet Sachs dress.

Royal is because the velvet ribbon is in royal blue color.

Of about silicon nipple, collar and bottle

Being the conventional 9-6 office working mom means I have to find a way for my baby to be looked after while I am at work. This is the most difficult task to do in my motherhood experience. Nothing like choosing a car seat or what type of feeding bottles to opt for. Main reason is because I am dealing with homo sapiens who have different ways and opinions in getting things done. Many times I have to step back and accept though it is not to my favor.

Some time back, I was so agitated to fetch Dew from the Nanny all covered with smell of cigarette smoke. No offence to smokers out there. But I really detest to have the thought that my daughter has to bear that more than 1000 mixture of unbeneficial chemical substances into her lungs, blood stream and brain. Puuulllleeesssseeee……….. go spoil yours not my daughter’s. I beg you!

I gave the Nanny the most diplomatic speech I could and repeatedly told her that I do not want it to happen anymore. That episode had passed and it hardly repeats anymore. Really, I am so-so glad that she at least took serious action towards it.

Other than this one issue, I would say she has done a pretty good job in taking care other people’s off spring. I thought, the Nanny is all my concern of which I have to be cautious with when I decided to send Dew to her. My thought was not full right.

Last Friday, I came back from office close to 11pm. That was really late even to my nature and I was in a very physically and mentally fatigue condition. I went straight to the kitchen with intention to wash my hands. To my shock, I saw an Avent nipple attached to it’s collar laying on the kitchen table which was really in a bad state.

I almost fainted. Literally – I almost fainted. How could that happened?

The nipple had formula stain at it’s lower part and lots of black spots as if it’s been there for ages. Macam KULAT-KULAPOK. The inner side of collar looked the same. Damn disgusting, I tell you. I grabbed them both and washed and brushed. Believe it or not, I still had my handbag and working bag hanging on both of my shoulders while I was washing. I didn’t even thought of putting them down. While washing, I was ‘cursing’ Harris for not doing proper cleaning.

(I always have this bad habit to blame that old man first before anybody else). The stain just wouldn’t be able to be cleaned. Only then I realize, eh – Those are not Dew’s. The nipple was number 4, I never bought for Dew number 4. (if you are unfamiliar with Avent nipples – number 4 nipples are with 4 holes for fast flow). Dew is now on slot nipple for her Avent. I also no longer use that non-BPA free Avent bottles. I have changed to BPA-free ever since the supplies reached Malaysia selling racks.

Harris told me that he found out about the nipple and collar when he wanted to mix formula for Dew earlier. He too was too GELI to even look at it.
Sigh! The Nanny had mistakenly switched the bottles. She has four tots now in her care. I don’t really mind because she has a helper from 9am to 4pm. The children are at 5, 3, 2 and 18months. Three are still on bottles.

I couldn’t resist but to make a phone call to the Nanny though it was almost midnight to tell her of the switched and also to find out whose rotten nipple and collar could that be. I am not sure about the later objective of my call but the urge to know was so strong. I tried not to judge people but failed when I made that thiak-thiak-thiak sound with tips of my tongue and my head swayed from side to side upon knowing.

How could a mother let that nipple and collar been in such bad state? Come to think of it, mistakenly switched by the Nanny at the end of the day is still considerably acceptable. But what if Dew has been sucking on that sucker for the whole day long? I fainted again!

Every time I send Dew to the Nanny, I made some reserve to accept flaws or whatever things which I consider as ‘defects’. This mistakenly switched bottles incident anyhow, didn’t bring me to the Nanny but the mother of the child. I consider myself as particular in cleanliness, what more on feeding bottles. A friend told me that it is unnecessary to sterile bottles once babies start to put things in their mouth. Germs get in their system anyway. I don’t take that opinion though it was from a practitioner doctor. I still sterile Dew’s bottles until now even she is already two, fear for me leaving any unwanted traces to the bottles and nipples after washing. Anyway, I didn’t spend RM500 for the sterilizer to beautify my kitchen or to balance some ying and yang energy. It is for it’s intended purpose.
That awful nipple was truly-truly UNACCEPTABLE. How much does the bottle cost la…? Ganti la weh!

So now, is there any possible way that I can choose the type of parents whom send their child to the Nanny? Isk-isk-isk, I am so lost.

You mommies who have the luxury to take care of your own child, I envy you!

Sekadar gambar hiasan :

Dew's Minnie Mouse, Bugs Bunny and Pureen gifted bottles which are never used. Now became her toys.

Dew's Avent and B-free nipples and bottles which are no longer in use due to the life span.

Dew's Avent and MAM bottles which are currently in use.

Saigon, here we come

The blog seriously needs an update and I am gonna finish my Piala Malaysia experience series after this one.
(Hopefully Kerabu Jantung will be patience enuf… I usually will finish what I started even though it’ll take a lloooonnnng time. Oooops earlier series also yet completed : The Pale Green Home, aiyah! – slap my own face)

Yuuuup, the title says it all… we are going for a short 4 days 3 nights trip to Ho Chi Minh from Saturday, I mean just a matter of few more hours. Wish me a safe and wonderful holiday, people !

It was supposed to be Harris’s office sponsored trip which is only for the staff. But I guess, you all know la… this mother hen (wey, I really mean mother hen with two legs and a pair of wings – not the one at Lorong Haji Taib) can’t stop making noise. I nagged and nagged and nagged Harris to ask his office administration if I could tumpang sekaki. I don’t mind paying for my own expenses. Again, this mother hen is not shame to admit that she is not the shameful type when it comes to this sort of item. He he. My feet got mole oneee….

My darling hubby on the other hand had to put away all of his shame to place my intention to the attention of trip organizer. One day after work, he told me – “Yes, you can join the trip to Vietnam”. Waaaaaaa!!!! Me so excited, I made my own assumption that surely there were many hubbies whom their wives pestered them to ask the same thing. The decision was made then due to the volume of requests.

Guess what Harris answered me? “Taklah, Abang je yang tanya." Gulp! I felt chocked. Is it real? I don’t believe it, could I be the only noisy mother hen? Guiltiness surrounded my senses.

Anyway, that thought only perplexed me for a very short moment. Always see a glass as half full! If it’s not because of me being the noisy mother hen nagging the big cock,… the other nicer mother hens wouldn’t be able to enjoy the trip, aren’t they? Adding as bonus, trip organizer also decided to sponsor for spouse’s trip expenses. Haaaaa, see the benefit to have a noisy mother hen? For that, I thank myself.

No doubt we are definitely bringing the little bidadari Dew along, even though her expenses is not counted in the package.

So, I am excited towards this trip. Further more I’ve contacted a friend from school whom is attached to Petronas and has been living Saigon for about a year. I really hope we would be able to meet up.

I’ve done with my before trip MUST-DO and MUST-BRING lists, It's 3am anyway. Of course most of the items in the list concerns Dew the most.
Before our trip to Bandung earlier this year, I made Harris agreed to cash out his RM 600 for the Baby Bjorn carrier albeit Dew has already own a carrier before the Bjorn. How? Oh… easy, I always implement the veto decision convinced him to trust my instinct. :P
Many times when we were in Bandung, Harris kept saying “It’s a good thing that we get this carrier or I could end up having back pain….”

Since Nada now is quite ‘heavy’ and ‘long’ to fit into the carrier even though she is still within limit specified by manufacturer, I thought we should get a pushchair for this trip. A light, not bulky and umbrella closure type. Easy to carry and practical to use. Lil Dew definitely will get tired at any point and I figured this stroller would be much useful. We could use in the airport right to the aircraft and shaft it by the door or in the overhead luggage area once we get into the fuselage, I have seen many people do that. Should later it is not really needed in HCM or the city could be less friendly to push chairs, then we’d just leave it in the hotel room.

My initial thought was to buy one of those pushchair which cost less than RM 100, but somehow after due consideration we end-up buying this one at more than triple of our budget. *Sigh*

I got hooked with it after looking at the size it become upon being folded up!

Lets make the buy worth even more …… to families whom have plans for trip and think this cutey push chair would do wonders… be a NOISY MOTHER HEN and don’t be shameful to ask me if you want to borrow. Non-chargeable. (Heard somebody is off to Melbourne?, siapakah itu ?)

Just shout out loud. (Susah nak baca ni – Macam - She sells sea shells at the sea shore!)

Oh dear…. I really love baby gadgets I think I want to own a business of it’s kind. For traveling purpose alone, lil Dew now has 2 pushchairs, 2 car seats, 2 carriers before her age is 2.
Well, I need not have to worry so much about that, surely there’ll be others who has more and different people has different interests anyway.

For now, I want to finish up a full bowl of trifle pudding and sing happily : “All our bags are packed and we are ready to go …………….”

P/s - Will brag about the trip later. Please bear with me, ya !

P/p/s - Mentibang ; thank you for this beautiful and delicious pudding. Must be nslave who made it!

Something new

Oooo, I am so excited. Earlier today, I finally got hold of the good that I ordered through the internet. This is really my first time buying stuff online. Honestly, it is something rather unusual to me. Yes, I do source for information from the net but buying online ? I was skeptical about it. To top it up though I am an internet user, I wouldn’t categorize myself as an I.T savvy which can be judge by my attestation that I only familiarize myself with blogs & forum for about a year or so.

The purchase was done almost last two weeks and to my surprise the delivery was speedy fast which I was supposed to receive the next day. Unfortunately, we were not home that Saturday when the parcel arrived. So, I was only left with the notice by Pos Laju pasted to my house door. The same weekend, I went back home town until middle of the week and was not able to collect the parcel at collection centre. The working days later do not allow me enough time to make the tour to pickup the item either. Came last weekend, it was 1st Saturday of the month and Pos Laju collection centre was not in operation.

Today, by so having a meeting near to the collection centre made the parcel finally succeeded to be in my possession. I was surprised that it actually came in a nice flower prints paper box.

Another bonus, the purchased item inside was neatly folded and being wrapped with yellow butter paper. I imagined the sender took an extra mile to make the receiver happy by putting personal care for item delivered. Indeed, she made one mommy very happy tonite.

Little dew had the honor to unwrap the parcel. It was intended for her anyway….

I bought her a smocking dress from Little Girls' Closet which I found out from a friend of mine. Lovely, isn’t it?

She twirls.

Ahhhhh, how I ‘llllllloveee smocking details. This reminds me, I've yet posted any entry on smocks that I made for my girl. Hhhmmmmm.

1st hair cut

Disregard the bold shaving for 7 times before her age is one, lil dew had her first proper hair cut or I would say hair trim on 04 October 2009. And this was how it went .....

BEFORE HAIR TRIM

The jaggy fringe

DURING HAIR TRIM

Keep still, keep still..... (x-cuse my husband's 'tone' arm, i've trimmed off his tummy from the pix, but you just got to bear with the arm!)

AFTER HAIR TRIM

Yeah!!! the helmet like hair-do. Uncle Brad Pitt said - she somehow looks 'rounder'

and, she's not NADA if she doesn't think she could it herself. To those whom are concern,... she's holding a blunt point scissors with cap by NUK German designed for child use. :)

EYEBROWS and EYE LASHES

Many babies and toddlers have a habit of their own. Some love to suck blanket edges or a pillow leaving the two like a kain buruk or sucking a pacifier or sucking own thumb or…… must have her palm against somebody’s face if she wants to sleep! (that’s my beautiful cousin’s daughter – Adriana and you can read more about her HERE if you want to…. Che… link lagi).

She’s the one in the best pose of the pix… Of course the second from right, as beautiful as her mummy. (ahhh…. jangan perasan la che’ anim….)

This cousin's son of mine, tak tahu la habit apa ni. He's named after Harris as in Harith... eh tak lah.. just nama sama. :)

Nada is just like other babies, she has a habit too, a unique habit. She loves to play as in touching one’s eyebrows and eye lashes! Want to see a pix? I uploaded HERE before. I can’t figure out when she actually started. She uses her fingertips and also her palms to softly touches the brows and lashes as if experimenting her senses. I wonder how could she get the habit until Harris told me, that it is definitely from me. I do the same thing without me even realizing it. Sometimes I lay down on our couch while watching tele and start lightly rubbing my eyebrows.

Mostly, Nada fell for the habit when she’s having milk from the bottle… She would play her eyebrows with one hand while the other holding her Avent. Should I am near her she would ask for mine. So many of the time, I ended accompanying her for milk time and also for sleeping time until I transferred her to the cot. That’s why I also got sleepy and zzzzzzzzz myself while she was trying to sleep.

We trained Nada to sleep in the cot as much as we could because I already had the worst nightmare ever that she fell off the bed being too active moving around in her sleep. The daytime sleeps were fine. It's not the same at nights when sometimes she woke up and resisted her cot may be because of feeling lonely. I could hold myself from picking her up but not Harris whom is with a soft heart. He said – takut demam kalau nangis banyak (when I do not encounter even once that Nada got sick because of too much crying. Sigh!)

So at the occasions Nada used to sleep in the middle of Harris and I, she cried too due to bad dreams – I guess, since she no longer required milk over night. Her hands would go searching for eyebrows, even to the extend climbing on our laying body with her eyes closed in the search of her favorite. Eye brows!

At one point, whenever Harris and I heard Nada crying or merengek in her sleeps we would automatically, kruh-krah-kruh-krah…. turned our subconscious body towards her from whichever way we were facing becoming like R.O.B.O.T.S.
Well you know, it’s a stage that you’re actually in a very deep sleep and you hear nothing else, not even if your house was invaded by aliens except for your baby crying? – Parents would know.
Nada then would let her arms widely spread open reaching for us both. One hand on daddy’s eyebrows and one hand on mommy’s and we would be needed to stay put while she ‘main our kening’! Pekenama tu? Dia pulak bagi arahan kat kita ?

She however prefers mommy’s brows and lashes so much more as to compare to daddy’s.

The ‘main kening’ thing continued even though she slept in the baby cot on her own in the room next to ours. So, if she cried and was searching for eyebrows I got to go to her, bend myself half down to let her able to reach my eyebrows. Slowly she would need to get the feel of it, may be for 30 seconds… then she’d continue her sleeps.

Now that she’s too big for the cot, I can’t help but to let her be on the bed. Fear for felling off again, the bed looks like a fort with pillows and safe guard rail every time she sleeps. Luckily, she’s less active now but the need for brows and lashes doesn’t get any lesser. Whenever she cries, I would need to wake from my sleep, walk over from our room and lay besides her surrendering to what she wants just like a Slave serving her Queen! Redha je la….

Nada created a variation to her hobby when she not only ‘main kening’ with her hands but she also wants to feel them with her lips! Aduh.. pening Mek!
Out of sudden she came near me with her mouth slightly opened. I thought she wanted to kiss me but I was wrong! She was heading to my eyebrows and lashes and just when the lips touched, she rubbed her lips soothingly to them. Mind you, when she gets “syok”…. her saliva starts to drip and smearing whatever I was having for my eyes. So much so – No eye-shadow, No eye-liner and No mascara for me. :P Like I always put them on pun… he he

Hmmmm, Should you think what I write here about my darling is rather peculiar, wait till you hear the next.

One night, she cried for the usual thing she wants. I lied next to her while she did her thing and I dozed off. After a while, I felt she was half climbing on me. I suspected nothing because she does that all the time. I felt the brush to my brows and I opened my eyes. To my surprise, she again introduced another variation to her hobby and I was shocked to see her elbows right in front of my eyes rubbing softly my brows and lashes! Dia guna SIKU dia cik kak oooooiiii!!!!

Please go figure – An 18mths ol baby girl kneeling towards you while you are laying flat with her two elbows pointing at you, whilst so gently rubbing your eyebrow and eye lashes …. And her eyes are closed because she is sleeping!

Now, should I be worried?

Mek dah tak pening lagi… Mek pengsan terus………dush - toing-yong-yong-yong-yong-yong. Tweet – tweet – tweet – tweet, see birds now.

Ini dia itu budak kici!

Bahasa Malaysia vs English

reading while on the moves ... just like mommy

The Cabinet had finally decided to revert the teaching of Mathematics and Science for the Primary Schools children from the current in English to Bahasa Malaysia by 2012. The decision was made after a lot of Hu-Ha raised by certain group of people.
My boss and I had a long chat about the subject and we both agreed that we both couldn’t arbitrate which option would be a better one.

The brilliant Prof. Ungku Aziz stated his opinion that language is just a medium to getting the knowledge across. Any language would equally gives the same impact because the important substance here is the knowledge and not the language itself. Chandra Muzaffar said, PPSMI was a mistake. Che Det said, reverting to BM will be a mistake. Well, every one is entitled to his own opinion.

I am a kampong girl, proud one from Kampung Lundang, Kota Bharu, Kelantan. Glamor sket – New Castle, Chelantanne.
Kelantanese are famous for our English Budu – speaking. Many may speak English but can’t never leave the budu accent behind. I did quite well during primary school which opened me for an opportunity to a boarding school for secondary, a reputable one in-fact – Tunku Kurshiah College. Together with me, there were two others from my batch whom were selected for the same which later was followed up by another one.

When I first arrived in TKC.. 21 years ago, I noticed a big green sign board with yellow lettering read as “SAVE OUR ENVIROMENT” placed at the first corner right after entering the Bukit Merbah compound. Out of the 3 words, I only understood the meaning of the middle word – OUR.
The other two – SAVE, ENVIROMENT – what the hell is that? So, you can judge my English standard back then. I believe I couldn’t say the same with my two friends. They surely comprehended the signboard well. This means, I couldn’t blame being a Kelantanese for having such poor English vocabulary knowledge. I do not how I got an ‘A’ for English in Peperiksaan Darjah 5! (Peperiksaan Darjah 5? Not even UPSR?… Oh! How I was from the dinosaur age)

In TKC, we had to sit for an English proficiency test every year to determine which Set we would be in for English classes. Obviously, I didn’t end up in the high set. Sure la… many of my friends at that time have already been reading “thick-complicated-adults” books of Mario Puzo la , Stephen King la, Sidney Sheldon etc, and me, I couldn’t even finish an Enid Blyton.
The good thing about streaming group of students into sets was, the lower sets comprise of very small number of students and the teacher really had the time to concentrate on each student whom was weak like me. So along the line, 5 years in TKC, my English did improve tremendously. I also thank many of my friends back then for never to belittled me of my bad English, instead helped me a lot whenever I seek them for any difficulties that I faced – Aliza Zainal Anuar, Hazatul Farah Abdullah, Fazlin Abu Hassan Shaari, Faridah Jamaluddin (Allahyarhamah), Sri Marni Zainal Abidin, Zurilawati Mohd Zam, Irmawati Muhammad Tahir….. Yup, in TKC – all of us are proud of our name to be said in full. Thus far, I remember majority of TKC friends name in full and of course the nick names too.
In TKC also, that I accepted my MARIO name with an open heart and being proud of it, not like during much younger days that I hated it for people kept asking me – ORANG APA NI? As a kid I used to pester my mami to file an oath and change my name to a simpler one. When she asked me what name do I want to change to, I remember choosing SITI ZAITON for a reason I, myself do not certain.

Studying in a local university, I wouldn’t say mastering English is that essential because we had our assignments, presentations done in Bahasa Malaysia. The one difficulty may be to understand the reference books which many of them are in English.

Working in a private sector with private jobs however, is not easy if the command of English is not good. I have many sub-ordinates under me whom are supposed to make my life easier. Somehow, it is not a smooth ride when I have to check not only the content of a letter, report or whatnot prepared by them but also the ‘English’. Kadang2 sampai lari maksud report when Present Tense and Past Tense are not understood and being jumbled up, don’t talk about Present Perfect Tense or Past Perfect Tense.

I always put my effort to help them with English, I even bought some primary and secondary school text books for English, Dictionaries and Thesaurus with my noble intention to help and to teach. Why school text books and not the advanced English learning referances? To be honest, because the fundamental is not correct! I am not saying I have the best command of English. No I am not, but with little extra capability, I want to share with others just like my friends whom had helped me on days ago.

I do not know for what exact reason that some group of people opposed in PPSMI. Really because they think by so doing the Malay culture soon will die? Or for political reason ? Me don’t know. But if it’s because of reason number one, I think that is so-so shallow. For what I am certain is, I am a no lesser Malay if I can speak English well or even other languages, Mandarin ka, Tamil ka, Thai ka, Nihon-go ka. Look at Senor Mahathir Lokman. People respect him for his capability mastering multiple of languages. But does that makes him a Mat Salleh for speaking English, or a French for speaking Francois, or a Phillipino for speaking Tagalog?
Takkan boleh diubah raut Melayu di muka – Eh! This could be a not so true statement in the current plastic surgery era - Michael Jackson could change, still DNA inside us can’t never change.

Sama jugak, that it makes me a no lesser Kelantanese, not even a second if I speak Bahasa Malaysia and not in Kelantanese dialect with non-Kelantanese people. Due respect to others.

So along with the announcement made by the Cabinet, they were saying some measures would be taken to uplift the English standard among school children. I want to see what measures they are talking about because at the end of the day, the language itself is a branch of knowledge and English for the truth of the matter is the world language, no one can deny it’s importance.

I can say my English is far-far better than my mami (when she speaks no English at all) but I am not proud of that if I cannot help my daughter to be BETTER than me. It's rather 'sayang' if at the age of 20’s, venturing into the working environment and she still need somebody else to correct her grammar … burdening others.

My baby @ 18mths blabbers a lot... but only speaks few words, dajdyy/daddy, pih/fish, schoo/shoes, berr/bird, tact/cat, nak gi/nak lagi, na nak/tak nak, besh/habis !

Choices We Have

That morning I woke up from my sleep as usual but mommy did not send me to Aunty Ani’s house. I don’t know why sometimes mommy sends me and there are also days, I just stay home with both mommy and daddy around. After mommy brushed my teeth and freshen me up, she gave me a handful of cornflakes in my bowl. So I just sit and snacked while watching Mommy sweeping and vacuuming the house. I hate and so scare of vacuum cleaner. I don’t like the sound too – I think it’s gonna suck my feet.

Mommy asked Daddy to bathe me while she did the cooking and also prepared my breakfast. Daddy then, put my diaper and clothes on, I heard mommy saying something about Bukit Jalil house and going to Sunway. We had breakfast together, but Mommy and Daddy’s dish was different from mine. I ate some honey baked crackers with mango puree and both of them – I think it’s fried rice. I think only, ok. Mommy didn’t let me try even though I asked for some. Well, I was practically yelling, still she didn’t give in to my request. Mommy is very tough to beat.

I put my shoes on… actually Daddy helped me. We make our way to the car and Mommy put me in my orange carrier seat. After a while, we were already moving. Hmmm, Mommy asked me to take the morning nap. I don’t want to make any fuss so I just slept on my own. I was awaken a few times when the car was not moving, I saw Daddy went out to see some people unfamiliar to me. Mommy said to Daddy to make sure every page of the Bukit Jalil House Defect Checklist is to be stamped received by the developer. What does that mean? I don’t understand quite much.

I continued my sleep and only to be woken up by Mommy so much later on. Daddy parked our car in front of a shop with a “RECARO” big sign. Eh – I know how to read? A lady greeted us at the front door. She seems to know Mommy’s name. How did she know?

There were so many car seats inside the shop. Big ones and small ones. Mommy and Daddy talked to the lady and also a man while I played around. They talked and talked and talked. Daddy said grey-blue and Mommy said grey-pink.

Daddy asked me to sit on the grey-blue car seat
There were other colors too
I chose grey-pink!

*Nada, give Mommy the laptop, baby*

Oh readers, excuse my daughter. Since she started talking (in her own lingo – of cause) … it is like non-stop. Now, she wants to write too! .. AND LOOK AT THAT.

She is one drama queen - I think she wants to be an actress but her dad won’t let her. He prefers his daughter to be a professional golf player! He… he…

I finally made up my mind on the car seat selection. A little effort of research, I managed to contact the Recaro licensed sole supplier in Sunway and made the call just to check if they have the car seat model that I wanted – Recaro Convertible Signo. Tips – must always go direct to the boss and you’ll get better service, I guess.
Apparently, at the time when I made the call, they did not have the said model in their show room. But the shipment from US had arrived in Port Klang pending clearance from Custom Department to be discharged. They were expecting the goods to be available in the showroom in two days time that he said would make the call to me upon its availability. And yes, the boss called me after two days. Alah – nak buat bisnes, biasala…..

We visited the showroom and purchased the car seat just last Saturday and I am very content with it for now. Nada seems to enjoy every ride in her new car seat. Since I went straight to the license supplier and with a little bit of wit and charm, I was granted a small discount and a small gift that I am pleased with. We were also able to choose from all four choices of seat design cover provided by Recaro at one go. This can’t really happen if we go to the distribution department stores because they usually get the seats from supplier in limited numbers. Most will only get one unit or maximum two units. So, we didn’t get chance to choose the colors.

Like what my dotter said, Harris preferred the grey-blue design but I wanted grey-pink instead. Actually, it’s not even an issue because at the end of the day…. surely my selection would be opted. Hey…. Hey…. That doesn’t mean Harris’s opinion doesn’t count. He made way for me only, having a satisfied wife will make his life so much easier! He he…..
Harris was saying if we choose grey-pink, the car seat then only suits Nada being a girl. It might not be so appropriate for the next to come (if any)… should ‘it’ be a boy. Its like everything is for Nada. Aiyak! Don’t la like that. Thinking of next to come? Oh well, for now, I am buying for Nada and of course she’s the focus now.

Should I am blessed with the next, don’t worry…. I already have the list of things I want to do and also new baby products that I want to have.

Want to do :
1. I want to be committed in exclusive breastfeeding, at least for a much longer period than what Nada enjoyed. I know my nature of work won’t have any mercy nor give me any justice towards the flexibility preferred for breastfeeding. But I want to try my best. I want to be mentally prepared and able to brace the difficulties being a working mom and also exclusively breastfeeding. If I need to attend lactation seminar – I will. If I need to invest in quality breastfeeding equipments – I will.

2. I want to stay away from ready cereals. If Nada depended on baby cereal for close to two months, in her 7th plus month, no ready cereal will be opted for the next. I will stick to homemade frozen purees. No excuse.

3. I want to store stem cells from umbilical cord for rainy days. If I think too much in opting it for Nada – it’s certain for the next.

4. I want to go through labor with no pain killer drugs at all. No Pitocin No Pethadine. God! This must be the most difficult thing for me to do. Really don’t know if I can or cannot. I envy those people whom are ‘strong’ and can. If I succeed, I am gonna treat myself a good lamb chop at Victoria Station after the confinement. He…. He….
…….. my cousin dare to visit me in the labor room and told –“ Tak pe Kak Yanti, masa ni je sakit… nanti baby keluar …. Sakit semua hilang….” Aduh… baby popped out and my body still ached for daysssssss.

Want to have :
1. The Bumbo babysitter seat – I noticed the good results benefited to my friend’s lovely baby girl for using the seat. She was able to sit unaided as early as five months old. Am not so eager for babies being able to sit as young as that age but it’s the posture when she sits that I am going for. She sits so beautifully with her back sit up straight, not even a slight slouch.
2. Deluxe Changing Mattress by Mamas & Papas – it’s soft and beautiful : I like.
3. Sleeping bag by Grobag – if my baby moves around in the sleep, the blanket is still intact.
4. Cotton Swaddler by The First Years or Kiddopotamus – I don’t want to use baby napkin only.
5. Snuzzler Complete Head and Body Support for the carrier seat by Kiddopotamus – it looks so comfortable. Then I don’t have to lapik with baby napkin.
6. Meal Time Bib by Combi – the combination of cotton (lining with plastic) and plastic foodie catch is good that I can fold it into the travel bag. Very convenient.
7. ………….. This one not so sure, but if I can afford I want to have a new baby cot by Mamas and Papas! Complete with sea life theme bedding set. Dang – it’s so expensive.
… and my list can go on and on and on and on…..

See, This 2.5’ x 4’ Sweet Cherry baby cot is already quite cramped when Nada is only 14months. The length is okay but not the width, somehow babies grow sideways too!

So, no doubt. All my children will enjoy equal love and equal comfort the much that I can afford. Isn’t that what mothers are for?

EXTRA NOTE :
sigh …. Even with discounts, the car seat really cost me some cool RM. And if my mami know about it, she’s NOT gonna say much….. but at a different time she’ll urge me – “Beli gak adik baghe mah…. Oghe tengok gak tak doook ‘ma-ka gapo” – means : Please buy some gold jewelry… people see you then not wearing anything.
For majority of Kelantanese people, if you don’t have gold jewelry on you, it’s like you are naked and you are so incapable. It’s no good for your image. True? – I don’t know.

Wahai mami, I can’t change these people mind set that may be have already existed ever since Tanah Sekebun Bunga existed. They may say what they like lah ! I don’t give a shit. – Currently – don’t have the pleasure in gold stuffs yet and it is SO NOT ME to do things because of what other people may think. My way is for my own satisfaction and for my own good – not for show to others. This is where Yanti is stubborn and hard headed. Sorry mami.


I am happy if my little dew is happy. (didn’t I tell yal Nada in Arabic means Dew…. Her Nenek calls her Cik Embun)

What is it about a car seat?

any resemblance?

It had been an intense search of a car seat for the few last weekends and all I want is …. To go to the US or UK and buy one…. Emmmm, since UK Safety Standards for car seats is higher… I choose UK then. …he he, I wish!

awwww... isn't she adorable?

Long legs?….Ah, How I hope my daughter will get it from her dad… Tinggi lah.....

It was quiet mind stressing when I was not able to get what I want. Further more, dealing with the sales promoter whom doesn’t really know about the product made me agitated. It was good explanation from promoters at specialized baby products stores like among the many - Mother Care, Mamours, Safe N Sound.. but can’t say the same for those at malls even if they are stationed at the baby products section – particularly strollers, carriers and car seats.

…. One told me, the seat can’t be recline when I could see the recline lever clearly. What the shit is she talking?

…. Other one tried to demo to me how to raise the headrest by pulling the lever so hard when the big word shown at the lever as “ROTATE” !. I’d go…. “Dik… jangan tarik… rotate, rotate, pusing, pusing…!”

…. Next to other one was pushing the back rest for a recline position when I realized the mechanism is actually by pulling the lever and raising the seat itself making it tilted backwards.
Instead of her showing me, I showed her how to do.

…. Two guys were in so much difficulty to show me how the back rest of a seat can be extended. I don’t believe it could be that difficult. Then I’d go…. “Dik… mana akak tengok manual… Hmm, losen up the strap, one hand press button and pull…..” Aiyyyyooooooo. That easy?

Tell what, after I complete my buying of a car seat…. I bet I can be a personal car seat selection advisor to anyone whom intent to buy. Just let me know your desired criteria and budget. *Sigh*

There is a very wide selection of car seats here even in Malaysia, but not many models actually satisfy my criteria. I can summarize that most car seats available in the market are divided into 3 categories, i.e
1. the infant car seat cum the carrier for newborn up to 20lb (9kg),
2. the convertibles car seats for toddlers from 20lb (9kg) to 40lb (18kg) or from newborn to 18kg
3. the boosters car seats for toddler and children up to 80lb (36kg) or maybe up to 100lb.

I’ve been eyeing a Maxi-Cosi model which I thought would satisfy me, but NO it didn’t. I want :
a. A convertible type of car seat that can take up to 36kg weight. Since I already have an infant carrier for newborn that comes in the travel system of Nada’s Peg-P stroller, it need not necessarily to cater newborn needs.
b. Of course passed all the Safety Standards requirement
c. At least 3 reclining position able to be adjusted with a single lever handle preferably at max 45deg, so if my girl is sleeping, her head doesn’t pop out.
d. EPS foam padded
e. Able to be installed both rear and forward facing
f. No threading for strap adjustment
g. Removable covers preferably for machine wash
h. …. Cantik !…..

So far, I am only served with 5 models that I can choose from but all are with their own flaws :
1. The GRACO – Nautilus 1-2-3 Convertible.
Flaw – The back reclining is too little and Not for rear facing installation.

2. The FIRST YEARS – True Fit Convertible.
Flaw – Reclining to be adjusted by flipping the base at below the seat. Meaning : car must be at stop. No child is sitting inside, unbuckle the whole installation, raise the seat and flip the base, buckle back. Too much hassle.

3. The SAFETY FIRST – All in One Convertible
Flaw – The overall design doesn’t look neat (... it's actually Harris's opinion and I do agree)

4. The COMBI – I can’t remember model name
Flaw – Too bulky… too big for our Sedan. (Unless, we change our old Sentra to a 5 series maybe . Kah! Kah! Kah!)

5. The RECARO – Signo Convertible
Both Harris and I fall for this one. It has all I want, clean design, seaming is neat and compact too. But the biggest flaw of all – The price almost doubled my budget ! Ghee, in fact it cost almost another of Nada’s travel system stroller. Ouch.. not ready to spend that much.

I know I’ve got to sacrifice either the wanted criteria or my Ringgit. Can’t get both at the please of myself. Urgh! Haven’t decided which one yet. At first, I thought my expectation of a car seat is too much, but after googling websites….. it is not at all of an issue. There are so many choices that fit the criteria with various design cover selection. And the price is so much cheaper too even with the relative conversion to RM. Should I fly to UK and get one?

Somehow, I’ve got to decide. Nada has outgrown her carrier for more than an inch (when it is advised to change baby carrier car seat before an infant top head is an inch to reach top of seat) and she also refuse to be in the recline position all the time. Dah besar! Nak tengok keluar tingkap la pulak…… she said.

Mommy singing… Money, money ! …. Mana nak carey?

She was so little then

Ini namanya memikirkan masalah dunia sambil tido...

She and her unique habit while drinking – main kening!!!

want some? I cannot finish