Books: The Womanly Art of Breastfeeding

I have not been updating about the books ive been reading lately. So here goes. Who says motherhood has no time to read?

This is an excellent read when one is starting out with BF. I bought it at the Times booksale in Bangsar. In fact i will encourage moms to be to read this. It allows me to create my own bf support group. After several chapters i am more motivated to bf and feel that i treasure this experience more.

Mother's day and Abah's birthday

I missed the post on mother's day. But i have to tell you it was SWELL. Better than my birthday actually, how wonderful it is to be a mom :)
We took my mother to a Westin breakfast; and the food was scrumptous especially the free lattes and cappucinos. The spread was huge and generous! Luqman behaved so well even though we had to struggle changing him over a small modern-day sink.

Today is F's birthday aka Abah. He has been looking forward to this day; to my amusement; and Luq and i are taking him out for a special dinner and maybe coffee later, just the three of us. I really want to wish my beloved and wonderful husband a very happy birtday; all these years knowing him he has been the bestest friend, the perfect husband and a really great father to our 4 months old. I really couldnt have done it all without him! I wish him the best in all his dreams, i know he has huge ones, and hopefully Allah grants him rezqi and a good life. Amin. Love u abah,
Luqqi and Mommy.

14.4.2010

Our baby is 3 months now and soon he will grow faster and stronger. Before we know it he will become an individual who knows how to regulate his own life and make his own choices and decisions. Mommy’s little man!
Nowadays Mommy has problems putting my boy to sleep at 9.30pm. He insists on nursing or playing or even watching tv! He has been going to bed at 12am these days, I feel kind of guilty because that is way too late for litlle Luqqi. But in a way his father and I are also happy because when he is awake he wants to be with us all the time, and we get lots of playtime with him. More importantly for Mommy, he will sleep through the night!
I guess in a way it is a sign to show that he really misses his mom and abah and wants to spend all free time with us. And being stressed working adults there is nothing better than hearing that small squeaky voice in our comfy little apartment.
I feel happy to bath him, change his clothes like 2-3 times!, cuddle him and of course nurse him till he is fulfilled with a beaming sunshiny smile on his cute face.

Anything for my lil baby :p

Baby talk 101

Hmm i seem to have a lot to write these days, don't i?

So, it's baby-talk 101 again. Many friends are giving birth this year. Here are the gadgets that really help a lot in caring for my baby:

1) Electrical steam steriliser
-Cant live without it! Do away with the idea nak merebus-rebus. The Little Bean steriliser is very handy and easy to use in just 8 minutes all bottles/containers are clean and sterilised!we have it at nenek's and our house (we have 2!!) and we use it all the time. We even carried it to Langkawi! We sterilise everything that is sterilisable (??) and even my maid has become a clean sterilising freak! Must have no. 1

2) Muslin cloth/flannel cloth
-kain lapik big enough for use on beds, cars, sofas or anywhere else especially when visiting friends/relatives and you are worried that the sofa/bed is not clean for your infant. Luq has 3 cute ones given by nenek. He loves to roll roll on the flannels.

3) Breastpump
-need i say more? Carry it every where! of course must haves with the bpump is the thermal bag, ice packs and storage bottles.

4) Infant car seat
- some mother's dont really think this is necessary. But i feel babies must be trained from young to use the carseat. In his early days i just ciuddle Luq in teh car and he will doze off. But now he is heavy! We introduced the carseat to him on the 2nd month and he loves it, he just sleeps in it and play around. Of course i will love it more with him in my arms at the front; but security and safety is really important when dealing with small babies.

5) Good durable bay carrier
-if you live in a flat like me, and need to take steps to the upper level, a good baby carrier to carry your baby is worth the money. I started using our Babybjorn right after pantang and Luq is mostof the tiem comfortable in it. He can easily doze off as he feels that i am near and he feels safe. I find it easier that baby is snug tight with me, and very close to my heart!

6) Mothercare Nappy Sacks
-believe me this is not a waste of money. You know those times when people change their babies in toilets and leave the soiled diapers for all to smell? It is very useful on days when Luq goes overboard with his poo, i just put the soiled diaper in the nappy sack, tie it and it goes to the bin. If we leave the bin overnite we dont have a smelly problem.
I also find it useful when i visit people's homes and Luq needs a diaper change. He wont leave any smell behind because we use the nappy sack!

7) Baby monitor
-we got this from our staff. A very useful gadget. Now F and i can spend time watching tv, or in the kitchen witout worrying about a sleeping baby in our bedroom. Because we can hear his small little cries through the monitor! Expensive but very useful!

8) Fisher-Price vibrating rocker
-a friend gave us this rocker, and Luq loves it rocking and vibrating effect! It is easy when we want to put luq down, we just rest him on the rocker and he will be ok on his own. The rocker is also colorful hence stimulating for baby.

Passion

I read a most awaited ad- a course on creative writing. I attended a short english-creative writing course during my schooldays- it was very fun. Unfortunately, now i really dont have time to follow a proper class. My passion for reading and writing will just have to continue based on my individual efforts. Though deep down i promise myself one day i shall join that class!

I am reading on simple ways to introduce language and the love of reading to this lil badger. Bought this book recently at the Times Book Sale at 50% discount woo-hoo..It is a very interesting read and has many many ideas on how to help our kids to read and write!

Right now Luqqi loves people talking to him and paying attention to him, and all the sing alongs i do with him. Hopefully he will also appreciate books!

Games with my baby

As Luqman grow bigger, we can play more games with him. He loves taking baths these days, very contrary to his newborn all-screaming kind of splish splash. When i face him to a mirror he can also smile and laugh at his reflection. This is such a cool game at this age.

Everyday I look forward to going home after work, i will drive straight to my parents' and search for my little badger. We take short walks and he loves his comfy green buggy so much. It sure is a very comfortable ride!

Soon i will be able to introduce to him nursery rhymes and simple colorful books; and more more walks round the park. And swimming too!

Sometimes at nite he has trouble sleeping, he wants to play more or just require me to hug and carry him. Yes it is tiring on certain nites, but i just remind myself that this is a way of making up for loss time. I love my baby and we cherish every minute we have with each other!

Travels with my baby

We flew to Langkawi for Luqman's aqiqah and cukur rambut. What a great holiday for my family; as they stayed in Porto Malai and took a ride in abah's dashing new boat. Luq and me of course stayed in as baby was too small for such a rough ride.
The majlis went well, alhamdulillah, 2 goats for my boy and MIL had to invite every single friend she had on the island LOL! Although i wished i could take pics with the goats first before they got slaugthered! Langkawi was so so so hot, thank God the AC saved us. we all almost melted under the raging sun!

An imam came and botak-licin my boy. Pheww such a cute face he has now, such a clean and skinhead look. I will cherish these botak days my boy!

The plane ride was great with Luqman, He drank, played and slept on the plane. Overall i enjoyed travelling with him and want more more travels and overnite stays (at a hotel). These are such fun days with my baby, wish i could spend every single minute with him!

More March Babies

My good friend gave birth to a beautiful Ava Kamelia last week, and yesterday my sister smsd from Aussie, she just delivered the most awaited 4th March baby in our family. This is so great; such happy news...new friends for my little lion cub!
Congrats to Kakwa and Sue, selamat berpantang, hope you guys enjoy it as much as i did! Lovely babies!

I am so happy kakak Sarah finally met her adek, am so sure she is thrilled to see the tiny little baby sister. Miss u lil munckins!

Lion cub is 3 months

Life is a perfect picture with Luqman. My little lion cub turns 3 months today. Oh how i will miss his little days; once i had an image of Luq at just a few days old, chirping like a bird waiting for water. My most poignant memory of him is when he is overwhelmed with feeding and started to doze away yet his held is still upright and his lips coming together like a little bird. We call this mulut burung!

Mommy turned 29 yesterday (only 9teen we are!) and had a little party at home with the hommies. The attention was more to Luq of course, as he is now the prince in my parents' hearts. It is great to see the way my mother and father treat Luqqie like their very own bundle of joy, and it makes my heart settle to see him with such loving and caring grandparents.

Going back to work

I'm due at the office in 2 week's time. That's 2 months and 2 weeks of leave. I know that being a part from my son is nerve wrecking and heart breaking, but in a weird way i miss working. I miss my lunchmates the most haha. I will just have to admit i am not a stay at home mother material. Well it is nice to have a long break, but to make it permanent..that's just not me.

Alhamdulillah taking care of my baby has been a wonderful experience, i am happy to admit i can care for him single handedly, even bath him singlehandedly thanks to some mothercare sponge-gadget thingy. Although it can be very tiring!
But my son will just have to learn that i will not be able to be there for him 24-7. Thanks to a supportive famly, i will be in the routine of sending the baby and the maid daily to Ibu n daddy nursery on weekdays.

Loads to prepare- time to select clothes that can actually fit now, and organise daily activities so that we dont go haywire when 8 March comes!