Never ever shake a baby (forwarded email)

December 4th, 2007, Jessica Sherwood had to do something no mother should ever have to do.

At 2:29 pm Jessica made a very tough, but the right decision to take her little 3 month old daughter off life support.

Jessica had a message that every one needs to know.

This is what Jessica said:

"If anyone has kids, make sure that you keep them with you the whole time. Don't give them to anyone that you don't trust. Trust me, I thought that I trusted Josh. But now as of December 4, 2007 at 2:29 AM, she is gone. My one & only baby. He is going to pay FOREVER, even if he gets out of jail scott free, he will be dead no matter what. To all my friends that know London, I am very angry & upset that I lost the love of my life, my baby girl. She died on her three month birthday .

London had six fractured ribs, both of her legs were fracture, & her brain was so damaged that if she were to live she would be a vegetable. So I did what was right & what was best for her & took her off life support.

That's what you call Shaken Baby Syndrome [SBS]"


For those of you who don't know what Shaken Baby Syndrome check out the facts:

Shaking, jerking and jolting can cause blood vessels in the head to tear or burst.

Shaken Baby Syndrome is the shaking of an infant or child by the arms, legs, or shoulders with or without impact of the head.

This trauma can result in bleeding and brain injury with no outward signs of abuse.

Often frustrated caregivers feel that shaking a baby or small child is a harmless way to make the child stop crying. However, a baby's brain and blood vessels are vulnerable to whiplash motions, such as shaking, jerking, jolting, and impact.

The neck muscles of an infant or small child are weak, so the child's head is relatively heavy and the neck cannot support the stress of shaking or impact.

Shaking a very young child, with or without impact of the head, can cause irreversible brain damage, blindness, cerebral palsy, hearing loss, spinal cord injury, seizures, learning disabilities, and even death.

It is tragic that healthy, intelligent babies are suffering these disabilities simply because their caregivers don't know about the dangers associated with Shaken Baby Syndrome.

An estimated 1,200 to 1,400 cases of Shaken Baby Syndrome (SBS) occur each year in the United States.

Only 1 out of 4 babies dies of Shaken Baby Syndrome.

HOWEVER, the other three babies will need ongoing medical attention for the rest of their short lifespans.

Read more about SBS in http://www.dontshakeababy.com/aboutsbs.html#1

Thank God for back-up data!

Just a quick note to say "Thank U, God!" :)

Last Wednesday & Thursday were hectic days for me. All because my working PC went cranky. It could start at one time, and couldn't at another... and couldn't at all after awhile. When it was giving signs of "aging", I quickly backup some important files... not all because it literally shut on its own while I was doing my backup. Yes, it went dead! I later found out that it was because the motherboard died! Thank God the hard disk is still OK! What a relief that all the data are still there! (Another round of backup later!)

Anyhow, I just wanna thank God that I managed to save whatever that is needed before it totally KO-ed on me, and so my work today is smooth. A big big relief! *phew!* I also needed some other stuff which I backed up a couple of months back. A 2nd big relief! All I had to do is just install some programs and configure some settings for my other PC so work can go on as usual. Praise the Lord!

[Article] Swiss restaurant to serve meals cooked with human breast milk

A Swiss gastronomist has stirred a controversy in the tranquil Alpine republic after announcing that he will serve meals cooked with human breast milk.
Last Updated: 10:42AM BST 19 Sep 2008

Women will receive just over £3 (US$5.4) for 14 ounces of their milk.

The owner of the Storchen restaurant in the exclusive Winterthur resort will improve his menu with local specialities such as meat stew and various soups and sauces containing at least 75 per cent of mother's milk.

"We have all been raised on it. Why should we not include it into our diet?" Hans Locher, who has become Switzerland most controversial restaurant owner, said.

Mr Locher attracted the attention of the leading media of the German-speaking world this week after he posted ads looking for women donors, who will receive just over three pounds for 14 ounces of their milk.


He said: "I first experimented with breast milk when my daughter was born.


"One can cook really delicious things with it. However, it always needs to be mixed with a bit of whipped cream, in order to keep the consistency."


The food control authority in Switzerland was initially confused by the apparent loophole in local legislation regulating the use of human milk and it was not clear whether Mr Locher could actually be banned from serving his specialities.


"Humans as producers of milk are simply not envisaged in the legislation.


"They are not on the list of approved species such as cows and sheep, but they are also not on the list of the banned species such as apes and primates," Rolf Etter of the Zurich food control laboratory said.

Baby Sarah, r u feeling alright? r u comfortable at night?

Last night, baby Sarah was in her restless mode again. Hubby and I brought her up while she was sleeping soundly downstairs and upon reaching the bedroom, she was awake. Hubby and I were both tired. We put her on the bed in between us. Minutes later, hubby was snoring and I "accidentally" slept. Not sure what happened to baby Sarah during that time while we were sleeping. She probably crawled about till she sleep...... or did she sleep at all during that time??? :o

Later at 4.40am, I woke up as baby Sarah was up and crawling all over me... looking for a comfortable spot to sleep on. She was again at her restless self. I looked at the clock and thought to myself... has she been "searching for a comfortable position since 12mn"??? Hubby and i couldn't answer this as we were both sound asleep then. Poor girl... if that was what happened during these few hours, she must have had the "longest time of her life" feeling lost. I carried her up and put her on my chest. She didn't cry. She just kept tossing and turning. 15 minutes later, hubby decided to put her in the sarong downstairs. She then able to put her head to rest after about 10-15 minutes.

Lord, do grant baby Sarah comfort during the night. Give her good good good rest. Take away every discomfort from her inside out. It breaks my heart to see her tossing and turning at the time when I know she is so tired and sleepy. Send Your angels to protect her and guard her especially during the times when both daddy and mummy are totally knocked out and couldn't be there for her. O Lord, we pray that every night will be better nights for her and for all of us - In Jesus' name we pray, Amen!

[+video] Sarah chewing?

Last night baby Sarah started doing this....



Looks like she was chewing something... and also playing with her tongue :p
She's been doing this for some time... I thought maybe that's another sign of teething? Hmm... Maybe mouth itchy? Hmm... Well, whether or not she will cut her first tooth soon, we shall see... :)

God bless baby Sarah!

[+video] Sarah's latest development (at Month 6+)

Baby Sarah pulls herself up to stand and amazingly stand while holding on to something/someone for a good 3 minutes (it could be more i think...)! At first I was kinda worried if her legs are not strong enough to support her whole body weight, but looking at the way she stand and how comfortable she seemed to be, I think she is ready for another new adventure!

Check out these short clips of her standing adventure...

... from crawling to standing...

... from standing to walking... her first step forward!

She will take every opportunity to be on her 2 feet... even sleeping time in the room! Yes, she did it again last night! She was sound asleep when I took her up but by the time we entered the bedroom, her body was all charged up! That was already about 12.30am. I could see that she was tired inside but her physical body seem to go against her tiredness. Lord, please grant baby Sarah good rest, and good sleep. She crawled all over our bodies (literally) and take every opportunity to stand with support from our tired bodies. Hubby was already snoring aloud, and I was just lying on the bed praying that Sarah will eventually gets tired and sleep on her own. Well, yes, she eventually did it but after about an hour! Imagine this... I was lying sideways and she crawled up onto my body and rested her head on my waist/legs while standing/kneeling. She seemed to be looking for the best and most comfortable position for her sleep. This wasn't her first time. Apparently she did this two nights ago but while I was sound asleep (very very sound...). Hubby saw it, ie she did it while her eyes were closed. It's like sleep walking, but this is "sleep crawling". Oh my... I'm a little worried that she overdoes it, and especially while everyone else is sleeping. I pray that in the coming days, she is able to rest well and have good night sleep, also not to hurt herself in any way.

Facial exercise... featuring the REAL Sarah!

LOL !!!

We did it! She did it!! But it lasted only after the 2nd pix... cuz she was getting pretty agitated after that! Hahaha... never the less, she made us all laughed out loud! Poor girl... watching us (including her JiuJiu & JiuMu & korkor Paul) laughing at her funny expressions!

Talk about facial exercise! :D

p/s - Yes Zanne, we did it! .... to answer your question previously! Hehehehe... :)

Diarrhoea's gone!

Thank God baby Sarah's diarrhoea subsided yesterday. Thank u all for praying together with me. Her poo is no more watery as of Sunday morning. I believe it was an immediate answer to our prayers. We gave her diarrhoea medicine only once on Saturday afternoon as her body seem to react towards the medication and gets rash almost immediately after taking it. We stopped giving her after that. She slept a lot yesterday too... and early! :) Early means she slept before 12mn! That's a great achievement! I guess just having the diarrhoea itself made her so tired.

Oh! And by the way, her poo is super duper smelly now as she is taking the soya milk. The soya milk powder itself has a certain smelly smell. Imagine the smell of the output after the input! Ewww!

Diarrhoea attack!

Today's the 3rd day... baby Sarah has been suffering from diarrhoea. It started 2 days ago when she "lao-sai" 6x and later reduced to 4x yesterday. This afternoon we went to see a GP nearby our house, ie Poliklinik Tanming Jaya. It is one of hubby's company's panel doctor. (On a side note, this clinic is super high tech... u wont be able to see it from the outside - it looks super "old" from the outside... but on the contrary, everything is computerised, ie the doctor writes his notes on a computer screen and the nurse at the dispensary is able to look at it online immediately to prepare the medicine! cool!)

The doctor checked baby Sarah and said that it is nothing serious. The diarrhoea was caused by an external factor outside the gut so there's nothing to worry about. Yes, she's probably teething, and that could be a possible reason for diarrheoea. Baby Sarah was pretty much in her normal active self. (Yes, as usual she will be "moving" nonstop, and as the doctor checks her body with the stethoscope, she'll be holding on to it - as though another playing tool for her). After checking her body, he ended it with a pinch on her cheeks! Oh boy... Looking at her michelinny arms, he said she might be obese... so need to control her milk intake... oh well... the good part about all this is she is healthy and very active. Doctor also advised that we give her lactose-free milk and so he gave us a tin of Isomil Advance soy milk 400g to start off with. Lactose-free formula milk does not have cow's milk in it. The theory is that the part of the gut that helps to digest lactose is damaged in diarrhoea so that lactose-free formula milk might be easier to digest. And so we will give her that for now until she is completely healed of this diarrhoea.

Doctor also advise to give baby Sarah ORS (Oral Rehydration Salts). They are to be diluted with water and to be given to baby Sarah to prevent her from getting dehidration. Doctor gave us 10 packs - to be diluted with 8 oz of water each... hope baby Sarah learns to drink more water. She doesnt seem to like the taste of water, so that's a pretty hard role for us parents to make her drink.

Lord Jesus, we pray that baby Sarah will be healed completely of this diarrhoea. Take away every discomfort in her body - In Jesus name we pray, Amen!

Facial exercise (forwarded email)

I got this forwarded email from a friend... and the title of the email was "Fwd: Senam Muka (For Sarah)" LOL! This is soooooooooooo funny! :D

"Senam Muka = Facial exercise"

Check out these pix. Call it cruel... hahaha... but I cant deny it looks so funny that I had to post it here in my blog. The baby looks so cute too. I think he/she was having fun as well as the parents! Hahaha....



The chinese wordings was translated as "a deep sleep"... looks like the baby had enough with the facial exercise that he/she's finally able to enjoy a deeeeeeeep sleep after the "hard work". :)

Q: Are u gonna do the exercise for Sarah?
A: We'll see.... :D

Baby Sarah having slight fever

Baby Sarah weren't able to get her jabs on Tuesday because she had a slight fever then. Her temperature then was slightly above 37.5° Celsius. Dr Khoo advised best not to give her the jabs to avoid "confusion" in the body system as the vaccination may cause her fever too.

Thank God there was no other symptom of illness.

At home, we gave Sarah her fever medicine. Her temperature seem to drop and she was feeling all charged up again. Next day however, there was a slight fever again. Do pray for our little princess that she's healed completely. Thank U!

We'll visit the doctor again next week to get her jabs.

Free ride on the bus... :)

"The wheels on the bus go round and round;
round and round;
round and round.
The wheels on the bus go round and round,
all through the town!" :)

Thank U, Aunty Denise for the free ride on the bus! Hehehe...

Aunty Denise is a very fashionable aunty in church. She "carries" a "bus" with her at times and baby Sarah gets to sit "on" it 2 weeks ago! :D

Baby Sarah's Weight & Height - Month 5

Baby Sarah did not need to go for her normal checkup and vaccination during her 5th month, but we went to visit the doctor anyway to get her Rotavirus & Pneumococcal vaccination.

So, for the record...

Month 4+ (29 July)
Weight=7.82kg (+0.44kg)
Height=63.4cm (+0.4cm)
Head circumference=40cm (+0cm)

Month 5+ (2 Sept)
Weight=8.4kg (+0.58kg)
Height=66.5cm (+3.1cm)
Head circumference=40.5cm (+0.5cm)
Check out the sudden increase in her height! Yes, i noticed she actually looked taller suddenly at one point! :)

Later tonight, we will visit the doctor for her 3rd Hepatitis B vaccination, and her third Pneumococcal vaccination jab.
Lord Jesus, we pray for Your divine protection upon baby Sarah. Minimise the pain and grant her comfort during this time. We pray for Your special touch upon her little being - In Jesus' name we pray, Amen!

Read previous post on baby Sarah's weight & height measurement (Month 4).
Read previous post on baby Sarah's weight & height measurement (Month 3).
Read previous post on baby Sarah's weight & height measurement (Month 0 - 2).

Baby Sarah's Milestone: 1 to 6 months

At Month 3:
She grabs things quite firmly with both her hands.
She puts almost anything she grabs into her mouth.
She responds to smiles and talks and songs (it started earlier when she was 2 months old but it gets more & more each day!)
She rolls her body over (she loves doing that if she's placed on her back... she'll then roll herself so that she's always on her tummy... and she'll be looking around with her head up! she'll do the same when she's on the bouncing net or sarong)
She loves to make bubbles!

At Month 4:
She crawls backwards (like a worm reversing!)
She "lifts her butt up longer" (in a crawling position, but not crawling yet)
She loves straightening one of her legs to show intention of sitting up all by herself!

At Month 5:
She sits up all by herself!
She starts eating solids.
She lifts her butt high and stands on both legs and arms.
She starts crawling by 5 1/2 m.o.
She opens her arms wide, indicates wanting to be carried.
She stands while holding on to something... or someone.

At Month 6 (and still counting):
She pulls herself up to stand.

Milestone chart: 7 to 12 months

Reviewed by the BabyCenter Medical Advisory Board

Child's Age	Mastered Skills (most kids can do)	Emerging Skills (half of kids can do)	Advanced Skills (a few kids can do)
7 months	• Sits without support • Drags objects toward herself	• Lunges forward or starts crawling • Jabbers or combines syllables • Starts to experience stranger anxiety	• Waves goodbye • Stands while holding onto something • Bangs objects together • Begins to understand object permanence
8 months	• Says "mama" and "dada" to both parents (isn't specific) • Passes objects from hand to hand	• Stands while holding onto something • Crawls • Points at objects • Searches for hidden objects	• Pulls self to standing, cruises • Picks things up with thumb-finger pincer grasp • Indicates wants with gestures
9 months	• Stands while holding onto something • Jabbers or combines syllables • Understands object permanence	• Cruises while holding onto furniture • Drinks from a sippy cup • Eats with fingers • Bangs objects together	• Plays patty-cake and peek-a-boo • Says "mama" and "dada" to the correct parent
10 months	• Waves goodbye • Picks things up with pincer grasp • Crawls well, with belly off the ground	• Says "mama" and "dada" to the correct parent • Indicates wants with gestures	• Stands alone for a couple of seconds • Puts objects into a container
11 months	• Says "mama" and "dada" to the correct parent • Plays patty-cake and peek-a-boo • Stands alone for a couple of seconds • Cruises	• Understands "no" and simple instructions • Puts objects into a container	• Says one word besides "mama" and "dada" • Stoops from standing position
12 months	• Imitates others' activities • Indicates wants with gestures	• Takes a few steps • Says one word besides "mama" and "dada"	• Walks alone • Scribbles with a crayon • Says two words besides "mama" and "dada"

Milestone chart: 1 to 6 months

Reviewed by the BabyCenter Medical Advisory Board

Child's Age	Mastered Skills (most kids can do)	Emerging Skills (half of kids can do)	Advanced Skills (a few kids can do)
1 month	• Lifts head when lying on tummy • Responds to sound • Stares at faces	• Follows objects briefly with eyes • Vocalizes: oohs and aahs • Can see black-and-white patterns	• Smiles, laughs • Holds head at 45-degree angle
2 months	• Vocalizes: gurgles and coos • Follows objects across field of vision • Notices his hands • Holds head up for short periods	• Smiles, laughs • Holds head at 45-degree angle • Makes smoother movements	• Holds head steady • Can bear weight on legs • Lifts head and shoulders when lying on tummy (mini-pushup)
3 months	• Recognizes your face and scent • Holds head steady • Visually tracks moving objects	• Squeals, gurgles, coos • Blows bubbles • Recognizes your voice • Does mini-pushup	• Rolls over, from tummy to back • Turns toward loud sounds • Can bring hands together, bats at toys
4 months	• Smiles, laughs • Can bear weight on legs • Coos when you talk to him	• Can grasp a toy • Rolls over, from tummy to back	• Imitates sounds: "baba," "dada" • Cuts first tooth • May be ready for solid foods
5 months	• Distinguishes between bold colors • Plays with his hands and feet	• Recognizes own name • Turns toward new sounds • Rolls over in both directions	• Sits momentarily without support • Mouths objects • Separation anxiety may begin
6 months	• Turns toward sounds and voices • Imitates sounds • Rolls over in both directions	• Is ready for solid foods • Sits without support • Mouths objects • Passes objects from hand to hand	• Lunges forward or starts crawling • Jabbers or combines syllables • Drags objects toward himself

Strangers under one roof

Taken from part of an article:

"At seven months, for the most part, your little guy is far too busy honing his skills to be really engaged with another child. When two babies under 1 are put next to each other with a set of toys, they usually play side by side but not with each other."

I can truly agree with this fact! As when Sarah & Reanne are put together side by side, and although staying under one roof for four over months, they still seem like strangers to each other. Well... that's for now. We'll see how things go as they grow up together.

Hmmm... interesting... I wonder what they think of each other at this stage.

Blessed 6 m.o. to bb Sarah! :)

Family bonding in Melaka...

We went back home to Melaka on Friday evening. It wasn't the first "balik kampung" trip for baby Sarah, but it was indeed the very first trip for baby Myvi! Hahaha! Hubby had to drive within the 100km/hr since we just got the car the day before and it hasn't reached that first 1000km.

Well, it was a great journey to and fro. Baby Sarah was behaving well... because she was fast asleep! :p

*Pictures taken with Sony K550i with light

Mum cooked for us bakpongteh and udang masak sambal besides the vege dish.

*Pictures taken with Sony K550i with light... lazy to take camera out-la! Hahaha... :D

The next day, we had steamboat for dinner. TQ koko and Peggy for organising.

After the dinner, kor-kor Paul & baby Sarah went out to play lantern with the neighbours. It was fun to see the little ones going out around the neighbourhood with their lighted lanterns. TQ J for baby-sitting. Hehehe... Oh yah... forgot to mention that it was the mooncake festival weekend. Hubby and I took the opportunity to spend time in Melaka this mooncake season... but we didnt eat a single mooncake this round! Hahahaha!

Some photo takings with the family...

It was a great time spent at home with the family. Baby Sarah (the last visit was when she was only 3 m.o.) enjoyed herself thoroughly. She's a happy baby. She loves the attention given and she loves to see kor-kor Paul running here and there (as though playing with her). She gets amused by it and laughed and laughed and laughed. What a cute sight! :)

Thank God for a great family!

911

A date to remember... that's the birthday of our new car! Yippie!

Byebye to our old faithful - a Perodua Kancil that has served us for a good 7 years. It was then time for a change when we realized size does matter now when we have a little princess on board, and also it has given some signs of aging lately :p

Hubby and I decided to "upgrade" to a Myvi! (wah... got a wiki definition of Perodua Myvi also... kakaka) Yes, we got a BLACK Myvi.

Perodua launched a facelifted version of the Perodua Myvi on the 22nd of August 2008. The facelifted Myvi has an updated front grille, front bumper, rear bumper and bonnet. It also has new features for the 1.3 Premium model. Most importantly, what actually made us decide on the new Myvi was that it could play MP3 via USB! Muaahahaha! A feature that both hubby and I fell in love with. We didn't need to play from CDs... we now can play any songs from our thumb drive! Check out more about the facelifted Myvi here.

It was a timely decision as there were many factors to consider - considering the price hike of many things (not just petrol). God is good as many things fall into place for us financially so we could afford a better change.

Thank U Lord for Your blessings!

(Pictures to be updated later.... :))

KFC for dinner!

Yeah... Talk about DIET! LOL! :p

Had KFC for dinner last night with hubby & BB Daniel. Hubby had food cravings lately.... Hahaha! Added to that, it made me drool too... thinking of the food that we're gonna wah-lup!

Wanted also to try the "New KFC Spice Crunch". Hmmm... Food review? Not as good as the "original Hot & Spicy". Nothing new accept some additional spice which makes it taste a lot more like eating murukku with chicken!

*Pictures taken with Sony K550i

I'm hoping that the original Hot & Spicy will come back soon!!!

[Knowledge: Baby] Playtime for Babies - Month 4

At week 13:
Let your baby practice his most recent skill - rolling over. Place him on a quilt, lay him on his tummy, and show him a favorite toy just out of his reach. If he tries to roll, help him out so he begins to understand the cause and effect of rolling.

At week 15:
Put some entertaining mitts on your baby's hands and watch her wiggle away. You can buy the mitts or sew silly faces and bells to some of her socks. The new sensations of sound and touch allow her to further expand her world. When her hands get tired, move them to her feet!

At week 16:
Right now play for your baby is all about exploring, and the focus of his fascination can be as simple as a clean diaper. Hand one over and watch him hold it, shake it and suck on it. Hey, that can take several minutes! A rattle can also be a source of fun: Your baby will love the sound!

Taken from www.ivillage.com

Never too early to tithe! :)

Baby Sarah has learned to tithe even when she is a little baby. She started off giving 10% of her angpows (red packets) received as a newborn gift. God bless baby Sarah! :)

Picture taken when baby Sarah was 4 1/2 months old!

Guess whose hands helped baby Sarah with the tithe envelope?

So.... How about you? Have you given your tithes? :D

A sour experience...

"Hmm... let Sarah try some..."

*experiment in progress*

LOL!!!!!!! Hahahahahahahahaha!!!! :D

"Let's do it again!"

"Wait! Let me get the camera!!"

*mummy go gets camera*

"OK... ready!"

LOL!!!!!!! Hahahahahahahahaha!!!! :D

Hehehe... call us cruel or whatever... but just cant help it! :D

Hubby made lemonade last Saturday... and just a thought... how would baby Sarah react towards the taste? Kekekeke...

She looked so adorable when she stuck out her tongue like that! :P

A relaxing weekend...

Last weekend was a very relaxing weekend. No agenda... for once! Hahaha! Sometimes, we do need that to unwind. Added to the relaxing feel, it was a rainy day on Saturday. Hubby went out around our apartment compound to test his new lens. I was taking care of baby Sarah and later in the evening I brought her out to "check out the rain". Err... No, we didn't play in the rain :p That's bad bad! Err... perhaps next time when she's older. Hehehe...

I brought her out to look at the drain, the rain water that gushed down from the pipe, the huge moth that was near the staircase, the flowers that were filled with dew, the lorry that sells mattresses that just dropped by near the lobby, the "smelly garbage truck" that passed by, and of course to enjoy the nice cool breeze. It was fun to unwind in this way. We walked and we walked and met hubby somewhere nearby... he took our pictures... and i took their pictures... hehehe... (Check out Sarah's giraffe hat! One drop of rain landed right at the center of her forehead! :))

After that, we went straight home. Baby Sarah slept immediately after that short walk. :) Hubby continued exploring his "adventure".






Upon waking up, daddy was still with his camera, baby Sarah was playing all by herself... and mummy was sleeping soundly. Baby Sarah's really a good baby. MIL also commented that she has "improved" a lot! Hahaha... Sounds like a difficult baby to take care at the beginning huh?! Yeah... can't deny that. But thank God, that was just a phase that some parents need to go through. We went through it victoriously! Thank God for a better today and tomorrow! :)

Looking forward to more of this time spent with baby Sarah & hubby.

A prayer of thanksgiving...

"Lord, we thank U.... thank U.... thank U...."

There was just so much to thank God for.... for every bit of blessing that He has given us.

It was 6.50am... Hubby and I were on our way to work as usual, but we started this day a little different. We spent a good 30 minutes prayer together - for our little princess, our families, our careers, our relationships - both with the Lord and together as a couple, our role as parents... Looking back, there are just so much to thank God for. God is truly amazing, and when He gives, He gives without ceasing. There are times when we complain about so many things... but yet, we forgot to look upon God and thank Him for His divine protection, His divine blessings - in finance, in health, in abundance of love and joy in our families.... and so much more.

God's blessing is overflowing... and it's without limit. But sometimes, it is we ourselves who limit Him in His giving. Have we been good stewards of what's laid on our table? Have we been faithful to Him when times are trying?

Lord, thank U for Your faithfulness... thank U for everything.

[+video] Sarah's on the go!

Another milestone achieved for baby Sarah! I think she's been crawling a lil here and there the past week, but in these past 2 days, I saw her crawling confidently! Way to go, Sarah! :)

She broke free!!! She can move about so quickly now... but on the other hand, mummy's getting a little bit worried! I know it's the beginning of more runnings here and there for both Sarah and mummy... and daddy... and nai nai... and yeh yeh... and.... and... and.... but I'm happy! I'm happy to see baby Sarah growing up strong and healthy! Praise God!

Baby Sarah's happy at home! :)

Thank God for a very big change in baby Sarah towards her home... not so bitter anymore! Hehehe... Maybe it's bitter sweet this time. :)

Last night we brought her home... and she didnt have the "strange" feeling towards her surroundings. I guess she has gotten used to it. That's a relief indeed! I was afraid that I need to "introduce" her to our home every week! *phew* She was also behaving well when I dress her or change her diapers. It was totally unlike last week when she really "lao kai" (showing tantrum). She was actually quite happy today when I saw her. She played on her own for some time and cried less. She's such a darling when she doesnt cry... :D



So all in all... this week is a much better week compared to last! Praise God! :)

Crocodile tears...

Baby Sarah has never liked sitting in the car seat since a little baby. She'll cry and I'll then carry her up, and she will just stop immediately. Sometimes, she behaved and sat in it for a long time... but most of the time, it needs mummy to distract her with funny faces, sounds, music, etc... If she's very very tired and not have the energy to cry her lungs out, she would just doze off in her seat. I was feeling kinda helpless. I was hoping that she will eventually get used to sitting in her car seat - mainly because of her own safety.


Last Sunday, I happened to be talking about this dilemma to a dear friend in church, and her advise was... "Keep on trying....". It would be difficult at the beginning, but i need to keep on trying. She may cry at first. Allow her to cry, but when it is too much, carry her up for a short while... sayang-sayang her... and put her back into her seat.


Then on Monday on the way to my in-law's place, hubby and I witness the first (distinct) crocodile tears of baby Sarah when we put her into her car seat! She was literally crying.. (or yelling) and with no tears! I followed the advise given... (Thanks Marilyn! :))... and it worked for a moment. She sat through the journey until about 5 minutes before we arrive to the house. She then cried again... this time, it sounded "real". Hehehe... We now can differentiate her cries between the "fake" one and the "real" one. So i carried her up. She was totally exhausted. It was already 11+pm then. It was her bedtime. She slept on my shoulder and when we reach the house, I put her down to sleep. She slept through until the next morning. :)


Well... at least I learn 2 things from here...

1) Never give up in trying to put baby into her car seat. She'll get adjusted to it someday. :)

2) Differentiate her cries! Now I know when to "discipline" her and when to "sayang" her... yes, even at this very young age! Babies are smart these days! ;o)

Diet program... :)

Diet program starts today!!! Heh heh.... FINALLY!!!

Yep, ever since after confinement, i told myself to get on a diet... get back my pre-pregnancy shape (if there is?! :p) When some friends asked about it... I would reply, "Give me 6 months!" Hahaha! 6 months from after confinement? or 6 months after delivery??? Anyways, it's been more than 5 1/2 months after baby Sarah was born... speaking about getting back to shape, it seemed kinda impossible with my kind of lifestyle... no exercise (more like no time for exercise) and having late dinner almost every night. *sigh* Tough to change that (in terms of time) but just gotta eat less. Anyway, my major breakthrough today is my LUNCH! I'm starting my yogurt diet again. Yep, I had that in the past years... not just about getting slim, but it's also about being healthy + alert esp after lunch. Of course I will feel hungry again later at 3 or 4pm, but will just make a drink or eat some biscuits.

This is my lunch for today!
Celery and yogurt+apples+raisins...

Some other stuff I have in office.... let's see.... a loaf of bread, mushroom soup (instant), chicken soup (instant), some 3-in-1 sachets drink, soya bean, some biscuits... Heh heh... i dont think i'll go hungry at all... just need some discipline to start off with! :)

[Knowledge: Baby] Playtime for Babies - Month 3

At week 9:
Let the toy obsession begin! You'll notice that your baby loves rattles and other toys. He is amazed by his ability to pick them up and he revels in their different textures and noises. Bear in mind that your baby will "taste" all toys, so make sure they're safe for him. Put him in the center of a blanket with a few choice toys he can grab and, watch him go to town!

At week 10:
Your baby will love to watch things move. Let her watch kids playing in the park, leaves falling from trees, cars whizzing by. Take a trip to the pet store and hold her in front of a fish tank. Watch her eyes move with every swish of a tail!

At week 11:
As you change your baby's clothes and diapers, you may notice his new delight in being naked. Why not give him some time to enjoy it? Let your baby play sans clothes - ah, the freedom! He will enjoy the feeling of different textures on his body. Of course, keep him warm and safe - try letting him play on a beach towel or cozy blanket in a sunny room, with you by his side on the floor.

At week 12:
Make 'em laugh! Your baby may begin to find great amusement in playing peek-a-boo. You can play it while changing her diaper, in line at the grocery store or down on the floor lying together on a blanket. Use your hands or a diaper to cover your face. Then uncover it and say, "peek-a-boo," smiling at your baby. Though it will still be several months before she initiates this game, she will find great joy now in watching you act so silly!

Taken from www.ivillage.com

"Read My Blog"

"Hey, didn't see u in IM. Where were u??"
Read my blog!

"How's baby Sarah doing?"
Read my blog!

"How's life being a mummy?"
Read my blog!

Muahahahaahaha :D

Sounds familiar? All the above reply? Heh heh heh....

Blogging has become a part of me. It started off when I intentionally wanted to make some extra income through blogging, but that didn't work out well as my reason for blogging was totally diverted to "just want to share..." or "just for your knowledge..." but most of all, the reason was "to pen down My Life Journey"! When Sarah grows up one day, through my blog, she will know how was she like when she was a baby... growing up to be a toddler... a beautiful girl... and a fine lady! I hope one day I will start making money from blogging, but other than that for now, it's just my way of telling the whole world that everyday is a gift for me! God is good all the time! :)

DA_aunties!!!

What-da-ya-know?!
It's the return of DA aunties to "kacau" baby Sarah! muaahahahaha! :)

DA aunties came last Monday for a visit and of course, there goes baby Sarah showing off her "stunts".... and yes, she was a cry baby then too.

It wasn't that DA aunties never carry her before. Baby Sarah only got used to being carried by them in church, but at home, it was a different matter altogether. She needs some adjustments too.

I told DA aunties to keep playing with her even though she cries at first... well, what-da-ya-know?! Baby Sarah got used to them slowly but surely and she was alright after that. Once in awhile, will cry la... but that's just her! :p

We went for the famous pan-mee in Balakong for dinner together with FIL & MIL, and thereafter went to Jusco for a quick shop.

Aunty brenDA & Aunty amanDA with baby Sarah...

Aunty amanDA bully-ing baby Sarah with little duckie. It was funny to watch baby Sarah "kissing" the duck... hmm... actually it's more like another teething act!
After getting her saliva all over duckie, she sat on it! LOL! That was really funny!

And yes.... that's her.... crying her lungs out, and being cranky and all!
DA aunties finally saw her true colors! :p

[+video] Sarah's latest development (at Month 5 1/2)

Last night, baby Sarah amused all of us at home again! This time she is learning how to lift her butt high and stand on her 2 feet, and 2 arms! But of course she's not standing yet, she's just showing "passion" in learning to stand. Check out this video:



It was also the night when we brought baby Sarah to see Dr Khoo to get her 2nd dose of Rotavirus vaccination. Dr Khoo asked us what can she do now, and we told him about her latest development in sitting on her own. He said she was really an advance kid and asked her to perform her stunts. And yes, she actually did it again in front of doctor and the nurses. She's such an amazing kid. Thank You, Lord for such a blessing! :)

Favourite sleeping position...

Baby Sarah loves sleeping face down... ever since she was only about a month old. Some people say it is dangerous for babies and may promote cot death (SIDS) (check out wikipedia or babycentre), but for baby Sarah, i think she just know how to "take care of herself". She's been exercising her neck muscle since baby and she pretty knows how not to suffocate herself!


Parents, you MUST know when your baby is ready! Not all babies are the same... do remember that!

Last weekend, hubby and I again witness how baby Sarah loves this sleeping position, even in the sarong! She slept for another hour being in that position, and she woke up feeling very happy and content... it was written all over her face (literally! hahaha!)

Can you see the "sarong-patterns" written all over her left cheek and arm? Hehe...

p/s - I sleep like that too! She must have gotten that part of my genes! :)

First baby solids... specially made by mummy

Heh heh... No, it wasn't the first time baby Sarah had her solids, but it was first time for mummy to make porridge for baby Sarah! :)

"This has to be blogged!" I told myself! Hehehe... I made baby Sarah carrot porridge. The first time was on Saturday... this right pic was my first attempt!

Now... what went wrong? Yep, i think the carrot cubes were not fine enough. Oh boy... after a few spoon feeds, I had to go through the trouble of pureeing the carrots while feeding baby Sarah. She kept looking at me "chopping" her carrots and showing some signs of impatience... "What is mummy doing with my porridge?" she must be asking herself.

OK OK... i learnt my lesson. Her poo that night and the day after that had carrot cubes in them... Oh boy... she must have had indigestion because of mummy's ignorance. :p

And so, Monday was my 2nd attempt to make baby Sarah carrot puree. I put very little rice and more carrots and I made sure that her carrots are pureed properly before I start feeding her. So, this pic on the left was taken....

Hmm... now when I see it... definitely more carrots compared to the first attempt. The carrots were finer but still not fine enough I guess...

OK OK... shall make better carrot (and others) puree in the coming weeks. Mummy needs to learn to make yummy purees for baby Sarah. Well, thank God she "accepted" my weaknesses at this time... very forgiving indeed. Hahaha... love u, Sarah! *kiss*

Fattening week!

The fattening week had just gone by... been eating out and eating lots... even harder to resist when the food taste o so good! (There goes my dieting plan... :p)

Sunday after church, went to Cheras for lunch, together with four other families - the PNgs, the Seahs and the Chongss... Read from BB Daniel's blog about the yummy "tauhu kang" served in this restaurant: Restaurant Sim Sek You Fook in Tmn Mutiara (opposite Leisure Mall) - Sorry, no pictures taken :p *BURP!*

Dinner on Sunday was only a few hours after that heavy lunch! And it was at Restaurant Makanan Laut Telok Gong, Klang - one of the many sea food restaurants in that area, but heard that that's the best of the lot! So many restaurants there, and they were all pack with sea-food eaters - the human!! We reached there a little after 6 and there were already people eating, and the place was half filled, and more people were coming in!

The price was reasonable and the food was superlicious!

This pic was taken outside our apartment, while waiting for the "drebar" :p

Well, it has nothing to do with Telok Gong :p... but just wanna share this cute lil fella!
She's sooo cute in this picture that I keep laughing every time i see it! :D

OK OK... at Telok Gong...

While waiting for our food... we just sat around the table.
Reanne sebiji look like her mummy! :)

And yes, the food has arrived!!!
We didnt need to wait long, they were fast! Yummy!!!

And it's finger lickin' good for some of us... except me! Heh heh... didn't wanna "dirty" my hands. Yep, i ate crab with chopsticks! :)

Thumb lickin' good for lil Sarah too!
Yeh yeh carrying her while the others wah-lup the food on the table... *BURP!!!*

Oh, guess what?! I just found out that this same restaurant was previously shown in 8tv Ho chak!

Restoran Makanan Laut Telok Gong
No. 705, Jalan Udang Galah, Telok Gong
42000 Port Klang, Selangor Darul Ehsan
Tel: 03-3134 1918