3 Tips on How to Survive A Trip and Not Break A Friendship

Sereen and I talked about going on a trip many years ago when we were still childless. After having 2 kids of our own, with the elder one being 4 years old and could appreciate traveling more, we decided that it's about damn time.

We decided to a short trip to somewhere near, so Singapore it is. Not really a good idea after all cause Sereen said, and I quote, "So near but so expensive."

I know. It's Singapore ma.

I'm not gonna elaborate on the itinerary because we didn't have a solid one as we're travelling with kids. But if you really need to know, we went to The Gardens by The Bay, Singapore Zoo and Orchard Road.

What I'm going to write about is the things I learned about travelling with your bff and kids!

I guess without prior experience, we didn't really know what to expect. But through this first experience, here are the top 3 tips on how to survive the trip and not break the friendship.

1. Plan loosely

We didn't have a tight itinerary like where to eat or what to do and where to go. The whole trip was kinda children-centered. So we decided on The Gardens by The Bay, Singapore Zoo (with Jungle Breakfast with Wild Life in the morning) and Orchard Road to see the Christmas deco. We decided on what to eat there and then with Google being our tour guide. Besides rushing through The Gardens by The Bay on the first day because we only arrived at 7pm, we enjoyed our trip to the zoo the next day leisurely. Ok, we did rushed a lil in the morning so that we could get a nice spot to see the animals at the Ah Ming Cafe. Otherwise, we took our own sweet time to explore around. And at night, we went to Don Don Donki at Orchard Central (because yours truly is a fan of everything Japanese), had dinner there and walked along Orchard Road to see the Christmas decorations. Tiring at the end of the day but considered ok as we didn't have an ultimate goal to achieve so there was no pressure.

2. Separate all the spending

Besides hotel and flight, where one of us paid in advanced for everyone and then share equally later, we spent and paid for everything separately later. We didn't have a "tabung kongsi". When Sereen suggested this, I was honestly a little upset cause I was like, "Why? Are we going to do all things separately?"

Then I realized it's the best practice throughout this trip.

Ours and our kids' food preference are different. While Charlotte and I are quite open to try new things, Sereen made it clear that her son, Mason, is quite a China man and he needs his rice. So even if we decide to eat something else, she would need to dabao a dish with rice for Mason to eat, which I don't think it's a very good idea at all. So we dine in food courts where there's a variety of food to choose from without having to compromise anything.

On he last day before our flight back together, we spent the entire time almost separated, alone with our own kiddo. I felt it was necessary and much needed cause I hardly get to have 1-on-1 with Charlotte since Emmett arrived. Needless to say, we spent everything separately, too. So it was indeed a wise decision to not have a shared allowance.

3. Discipline your own kid

I must say, traveling with your kid and your friends’ kid is a test of friendship. When you travel, and your kids don’t know each other much and or never been into a playdate, it is hard to be in between with the two. They get jealous of each other and sometimes is so hard to handle! But one thing for sure is that Sereen and I both know the boundaries. She handles her kid, and I discipline mine. And when it comes to sharing, if one doesn't want to share his or her own things, we respect the kid's decision and the mother will handle her own jealous kid.


Truth to be told, traveling with kids is exhausting. Their nap time doesn't sync, sometimes we have to wait out a tantrum. It felt like I needed a vacation from our vacation. But at the end of the day, we built memories together. Few years later we could maybe laugh about it.

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The ‘Come Out & Play: Foodology’ Programme at THOMAS TOWN and SANRIO HELLO KITTY TOWN, Puteri Harbour, Johor

From now until April 30, 2019, kids get to enjoy food science-themed sessions - using colours, textures and experiments to inspire learning and creativity through the ‘Come Out & Play: Foodology’ programme at THOMAS TOWN and SANRIO HELLO KITTY TOWN:

Learn about nutrition through play
Little Foodologists will be introduced to the food pyramid and how calories are converted into energy via an interactive game.

Be hands-on with food preparation
It’s fun for kids to see how different ingredients behave when mixed together. Colour n’ Cream* allows kids to explore chemical reactions between salt and ice while they make their very own ice cream using just five basic ingredients!

Colour keeps things interesting
The Colour Crazy activity gives kids a fun way to see how milk and food colouring reacts with dish soap to create distinct patterns; and Lights, Lava, Action!, a simple experiment involving water, oil, effervescent tablets and food colouring, shows kids how to create their very own lava lamps!

In addition, THOMAS TOWN and SANRIO HELLO KITTY TOWN team up with Cold Stone Creamery to bring the premium ice-cream brand experience to the theme park (Red Bow Café) for a week from Saturday, March 23 to next Saturday, March 30. During this time, the first 1,000 customers with Puteri Harbour tickets will enjoy free condiments of chocolate chips, M&M’s milk chocolate/peanut, sprinkles or gummy bears with their choice of delicious vanilla, chocolate, strawberry, cotton candy or pandan-flavoured ice cream.

For more information or to purchase tickets to experience the ‘Come Out & Play: Foodology’ programme at THOMAS TOWN and SANRIO HELLO KITTY TOWN, please visit www.puteriharbour.com! Families can enjoy a special discount on the Two-Park Pass when they book their tickets online using promo code ‘OTF319’ (valid from March 1 to 30).

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My Girls' Trip to Bangkok with One Child - Part 3

As you've read from Part 1 and Part 2, you could see that Emmett and I endured flight delays. Twice!

2 hours delayed when we depart to Bangkok and blardy 6 hours delayed when returning to Kuala Lumpur FOL. We're supposed to reach Bangkok around 8pm local time and I wanted to walk around exploring the place we stay for some much craved local food but unfortunately we only manage to touch down around 11pm local time. I didn't even get to take my in-flight meal cause Emmett was exhausted and still not feeling well then, so he was crying almost 60% of the time sigh. And can you imagine being stranded at the airport for 6 blardy hours!? Some more Don Muang airport is nothing like KLIA or KLIA 2. There's no restaurant or cafe to sit around and wait, no live entertainment, no Family Mart, nothing! This flight delay made me appreciate our airports a lot more now.

To be fair, the flight delays were due to the bad weather in KL as it was raining heavily. While I appreciate that they're doing it due to safety precautions but honestly, all those time spent on waiting could be put into doing something more productive, like eating good and cheap Thailand street food wtf.

Food is another issue for Emmett. If you've been to Bangkok, or any part of Thailand, you'd know that most of the food there are just not suitable for kids. They're either spicy, sourish or too sweet. Besides that, Bangkok is just basically not baby/ toddler friendly.

Joanne and Peggy with a chairless Emmett taking a wefie at a roadside stall while I erm went to buy more food lol.

I understand if there's no baby chair at food stalls on the street. But not even in a well-known shopping plaza's food court? There was also a restaurant that we visited that provides high chair, literally. That high chair, though, has no food tray and the openings on the sides are wide enough for a toddler to slip through and fall.

This is the said high chair. I had to hold on to him with one hand while eating with another. Motherhood is the mother in training to be a multitasking master wtf.

The glamorous reality of motherhood wtf.

So how did Emmett and I survive it all?

Baby-wearing & Breastfeeding.

I know I've said this too many times but baby-wearing and breastfeeding are life-savers for mothers (and babies).

By baby-wearing Emmett, I got to do a looooot of things.

I can start our day early even though the little one was still sleepy. 

走错路 under the hot sun wtf.

I can commute around in LRT (oh and climb up flights of stairs to reach the station).

Have our checklist checked without compromising his nap time.

Shop till we drop, literally. 

Selfie happily before knowing that we would be stranded at the airport for 6 farking hours.

And as for his food, well, he's either eating something non-spicy and non-sourish, sanwiches from 7evelen or got his tummy filled by visiting the breastaurant.

Said breastaurant a.k.a. walking-food-vending-machine lol.

With 2 kids now, I really cannot stress enough how baby-wearing and breastfeeding have helped me to survive it all while raising them. I mean, I know I can still enjoy my time in Bangkok even if I bring a stroller or bottle feeding Emmett. It's just that I know that it will take extra effort to get things done and be on the move.

That's the end of my posts for this remarkable Bangkok trip. Thanks again, Peggy and Joanne, for allowing me to tag along. And most importantly, thank you hubby, for agreeing to take care of Charlotte and allowing me to make this trip happened.

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New Breastfeeding Counselor At Your Service

I've just completed a 4-days-weekend course conducted by the sifus (read: admins) of The Breastfeeding Advocates Network (TBAN) about breastfeeding counselling. Even though I've been breastfeeding my kids for 3 years plus now, there're actually a lot of things that I didn't know about breastfeeding.

I have friends and family who've came to me asking for advise or help when they wanna kick start their breastfeeding journey but there's only so much I know from my own experience. After attending this course, I was empowered with more knowledge and passion to help mothers out there to breastfeed successfully.

To start off, let me tell you 5 things you might not know about breastfeeding :)

1. Mothers will start to lactate at week 16.
Yupe. You're already producing milk when you're pregnant at week 16. But why do some mothers claim that they have no milk (cannot pump anything out, baby is always crying at the breast but calms down after topping up using a bottle)? Well, my dear, there are SOOOOOOOOO many possible reasons to it. But what you must know is, whatever you pump out doesn't indicate the amount of milk you have. You can produce as much as the baby needs. Your baby is the best breast pump in the whole wide world.

2. Most medicines are breastfeeding friendly.
I see a lot of people asking if the medicine the doctor prescribed is safe for a breastfeeding mom to consume. Even if you ask the doctor or pharmacist, they might not be sure and will have to refer to that little paper inside the box of medicine. But let me ensure you this - research shows that very little level of medication enters breastmilk. So it's OK to breastfeed even if you're under medication. It's even better to breastfeed especially when you're sick cause your body will have higher level of antibody and your baby will be benefited from it by drinking your milk :)

If you're still worry and unsure about medication, you can always check with these 2 reliable sources

LactMed
Google Play : https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=gov.nih.nlm.sis.lactmed&hl=en
App Store : https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/lactmed/id441969514?mt=8

or http://www.e-lactancia.org/

3. Direct Latching is IMPORTANT
Now this point is not to put down mummies who are exclusively pumping. I'm sure you have your reasons. My target audience will be new mummies who want to nurse their babies directly. The reason why direct latching is important is because baby's saliva actually sends message to mommy's immune system to produce "medicated" milk to meet baby's unique needs.

Remember Emmett was sick awhile ago? My milk (as shown on the left side) was extra yellowish and thick. When he got better, my milk was back to it's usual milky white colour. Amazing isn't it? How our body can produce milk that suits our little one's needs. How did our body get the information to alter the milk? Baby's saliva.

And if you can establish your breastfeeding journey through direct latching, that's a good good start. It's also definitely beneficial in the long run cause you're a walking food machine. You don't have to prepare a lot of things when going out. You don't have to find a place to pump when it's time to do so and you also don't have to rush home to store the milk etc etc etc. All you need to do is just lift up your shirt and feed!

4. Breastfeeding  can be very painful. 
Breastfeeding can be very painful for some mothers, but if the pain lasts more than a minute, it is most likely caused by a bad latch. The latch is the way that the baby's mouth is positioned on the nipple. The baby should draw the entire nipple into the mouth and the tongue should be down. A correct latch should involve the entire jaw. If a woman experiences extreme pain, she should seek help from breastfeeding counselor or lactation consultant immediately to make sure that the baby is latching on correctly. I learned it the hard way as I was not equipped with the right knowledge about the correct latch and suffered sore nipples for 60 days. 60. Freaking. Days. I counted. Though I've now developed Nipple of Steel, I wish I didn't have to go through that at all. It was my stubborn will to breastfeed my child that got me through it.

During cluster feedings, the seemingly non-stop nursing sessions that happen over and over again during a growth spurt, a mom's nipples can get sore and the skin can get raw, but a special cream can help without harming the baby.

Also, a woman should talk to her doctor if she suspects she has mastitis, which is an infection that can come with a blocked milk duct and cause pain and flu-like symptoms. One of the best ways to cure a blocked duct is to breast feed, so she should continue to nurse through it.

Women also experience sore breasts when their milk comes in a few days after the baby's birth. Engorged breasts are painful, but breastfeeding can actually help.

5. Adoptive moms can breastfeed, too!
It is possible for women to breastfeed even if they weren't recently pregnant. The body can be tricked into producing milk, especially if a woman has been pregnant before. There are supplemental systems that can help with the process, but the stimulation can sometimes be enough to induce lactation. Some women believe it will help form a connection to the baby, while bringing the nutrition and positive attributes of breastfeeding, but it is a large commitment for a new mother.

If you want to know more information about breastfeeding, you can always refer to some FAQs here.

Ultimately, you can also contact me *ahem ahem* if you need help to kick start your breastfeeding journey.

Terms and Conditions apply (read: a small fee of RM60* will be charged 😊).
Click HERE to know more.

Feel free to reach out to me via
FB Messenger: https://www.messenger.com/t/michellelulu
WhatsApp: http://watsap.my/0123772494

Sekian, terima kasih 💕


 Disclaimer : The TBAN-BFC cannot guarantee to be able to help you breastfeed successfully 100%. That would depend on so many different factors. The TBAN-BFC’s advice and recommendations are case to case basis.

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Pros and Cons - Day Care vs. Nanny

Charlotte started attending day care when she was 19 months old. She had positive progress throughout her one year attendance and I thought that day care was for me (and my kids).

But when I didn't enroll Emmett into a day care centre when I was about to start work simply because the day care centers in Puchong are much more expensive compared to the one I sent Charlotte to in Cyberjaya. I was extremely reluctant to send him to a nanny simply because I had many bad experience while visiting and interviewing a few nannies before. 

Thank God I managed to find one that charges within my budget and Emmett had been in good hands so far.

So I would like to share my personal view on this matter.

Nanny Pros:

1. More Parental Control: With a nanny, I get to have a say on what to let my child eats or what his schedule should be like. Emmett's nanny also records his daily activity on a daily log that I provided so I get to know what's going on throughout his stay at the nanny. Sometimes the nanny would also send me pictures of him.
2. Individual Attention: Emmett's nanny is currently only taking care of him. She has 3 school-going-grandchildren but that doesn't affect her at all. In fact, the kids are very helpful and love to play with Emmett. She would also update me on Emmett's development which I'm really grateful for. 
3. Attachment: The nanny is now Emmett's primary attachment figure. He can rely on her for secure and comfort.
4. Flexibility: I can send Emmett to the nanny anytime of the day because I know that she will be home. She is also fine with me if I need to send him early or pick him up slightly later. She sometimes even asks me to send him during school holidays or public holiday without extra charge. 
5. Consistent Care: Unlike turnover at a day care center, the nanny is always there to care for Emmett, which is important for Emmett's emotional development.

Day Care Pros:

1. Helps Build Social Skills: Baby gets to develop critical skills by interacting with others, both adults and children.
2. Variety of Resources: Most day care centers offer a wide variety of toys, books, games and play equipment. They might also provide opportunities for creative play with art supplies, educational games, dress-up outfits and building blocks. These are usually included in your monthly fee so you don't have to pay extras.
3. Multiple Teachers: Children will be supervised by a group of teachers and form relationships with more than one individual.
4. Cost: The price of daycare tends to be more affordable than a nanny since you are sharing the cost with other families. The price varies based on location and type of facility. Charlotte's day care in Cyberjaya cost RM700 per month while the day care centers I've surveyed in Puchong cost at least RM1200 per month.

Nanny Cons:

1. Parenting Style Conflict: I interviewed many nannies before I found the right one. The reason I turned down most of them was because of parenting style conflict. I have some specific and reasonable requirements which I wish the nanny would follow such as not using the walker and less screen time but sadly not all are on the same page as me. Some even questioned me back, "Huh!? No walker!? Cannot one! Later start walking slower than the others, how?". I explained my reasons and concerns but not all are open minded. This current nanny's who's taking care of Emmett is not the case, thank God! She respect my parenting style and tries to follow as much as she could. 
2. No Sick Time Coverage: Unless you can get others to help or find a back up plan, if the nanny is sick or needs to leave town, you will need to take leave from work as well.
3. Cost: Nanny costs vary depending on location, the number of kids, and other factors. And generally, Chinese nannies charge more! I am not being racist here but I really think that some Chinese nannies are just too calculative. Some even told me that they will charge me extra if I pick up 10 minutes later. I understand that work is work and extra time should be paid for. But being too calculative just sets me off. Again, I am very very very lucky to have found one who is not calculative and charges me at an affordable price.

Day Care Cons:

1. More Germs and Illness: Charlotte had Hand Foot Mouth Disease (HFMD), Influenza A and Influenza B within a year of attending day care. Well, she basically falls sick every 3 weeks. I guess it's something hard to avoid with kids sharing so many toys, wiping their noses and touching the toys again. 
2. Sick Policies: Some day care centers have strick sick policies. You have to take off from work or find other childcare arrangements when your child has an illness. Further, if your kid gets sick at daycare, you will have to come pick them up and keep them home until they are free of the illness. I had to take unpaid leave for almost 3 weeks when Charlotte was down with Influenza B as I've used up all my Annual Leave back then.
3. Inflexibility: Daycare centers run on specific hours so if you are late picking up your child, it is probable that you will be subject to an extra charge. I was charged RM10 once for being just 3 minutes late, even though I was usually one of the few parents to pick up the child early.

It's not easy finding the right child care for your kid. I thought I'm the pro day care mom but I have a different view now because I am so so so so lucky to have found the right nanny for my son. To know what suits you and your family, my advise would be to sit down and list down the things that is important to you (eg. supports breastfeeding) and be honest with the things you need and want. Also think about things that may upset or frustrate you (eg. talking in baby language, the use of baby walker, etc.). Make visits to potential child care provider and don't rush into making a decision. I've interviewed more than 10 nannies and visited more than 7 day cares before choosing the ones for my children. Remember that no decision is permanent and you can always change your situation based on your needs or your child's needs.

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Emmett Has Bronchiolitis

As some of you have known, Emmett was admitted to hospital on Tuesday night because he has bronchiolitis.

I'm not sure when it all started but I'll give you an honest account of what happened here.

He's been having runny nose and cough with phlegm for quite some time already. I thought it's common as his sister, Charlotte, who's a school-goer, could sometimes be heard coughing with phlegm. She loves her brother and would sometimes play with him and kiss him on the cheeks. I've been trying my very best to tell her not to kiss Emmett on the lips since day 1 and so far she's been obedient. So Emmett's flu and coughing was not bothering at all as he's been cheerful all the while.

It started to be a lil unusual last Saturday mid night. It usually takes me around 5 to 10 minutes to put him back to sleep when he's up for mid night feed. But that Friday night, he woke up crying and screaming. I couldn't pacify him by breastfeeding him or shushing. It took me around 50 minutes to make him go back to sleep. I felt he had a lil temperature but I dust it off and went back to sleep cause I had to wake up at 4am to catch a plane. I brought him with me.

He was awake most of the time when I thought he would be catching up on his sleep in the carrier. When we arrived at our destination, his runny nose and coughing became more severe. Soon in the afternoon, his temperature was higher. I kept trying to breastfeed him but to avail. Even if I successfully had him latch on, it was only a good 5 minutes or lesser. My boobs were sore and hard, and that's how I know he's not drinking well.

Took him to see a doctor in the evening and true enough, he was having a fever and his temperature was 38°C. Gave him some paracetamol to bring his temperature down and he slept almost throughout the night. He did woke up a few times crying in discomfort yet refused to be nursed.

We went back on Sunday in the evening. The next day, I took the day off to bring him to the paediatrician. He was still having high fever. Doctor suggested him to be on the nebulizer twice, 4 hourly. He felt better but the fever still comes and goes. So the doctor told me to take another day off to bring him back for another round of treatment the next day.

And I did. We came back the next day and he was on the nebulizer twice again. He did felt better but his symptoms were still there -  shortness of breath, fever, cough with phlegm, flu and lethargic.

Pic: He was lethargic and sleeping most of the time since we came back from our trip.

The doctor ran a blood test and nose swap. The result showed that he has respiratory syncytial virus (RSV, also known as human pneumovirus). In other words, he has bronchiolitis.

So doctor suggested to get him admitted immediately so that he can be on the nebulizer 4 hourly and get a physio therapist to perform percussion to help clear the phlegm.

Reluctant but I know it's for his own good. And for the first time ever, I am so so so SO glad to have bought him a medical card.

We got ourselves admitted at 10.30pm cause there was no available ward earlier. It's a single bedded ward as the doctor said he needs to be away from other patients as his condition is not so good.

Right after we've settled down, the nurse came to give him some paracetamol for his fever. And then there was the 4 hourly neb throughout the night and day.

The physio therapist performs percussion on him once a day. Basically, he wraps Emmett up in a burrito, then uses his 3 fingers to tap on his chest and back. Emmett needs to fast for at least 2 hours before every physio session.

It's our second day in the hospital and Emmett is responding very well to  the treatment. And it's obvious cause he's now more awake and energetic, almost back to his own self. I say almost because Charlotte is not around so he's not squeaking like usual lol. The doctor advised to stay one more day as there's still shortness of breath. It's better to have him carefully taken care of  so as to not have secondary infection. Ok lo, you say like that, ok lo lol.

One more night and we'll be out of the hospital tomorrow. Get well soon ok cheeky boy!

******************************************

I gathered some FAQ about Bronchiolitis as follow:

What causes bronchitis in babies?
RSV is the most common cause of bronchiolitis. RSV usually strikes children by the age of 2, but is most common in babies less than 1 year of age. This contagious and dangerous viral infection produces inflammation, mucus, and swelling in the airways.

Can you catch bronchitis from someone?
It's usually not contagious, so you typically can't get it from another person or pass it onto someone else. People with this condition often have a phlegmy cough, but even if you are in close contact with them when they are coughing, if the illness is not caused by infection, you won't catch it.

Signs and symptoms of RSV bronchiolitis.
For children with bronchiolitis, after developing a runny nose and cough, over the next few days, the cough will worsen and may become tight sounding and your child may develop other RSV symptoms, including fever, wheezing, and difficulty breathing.

(ps/ From this table, Emmett was already in a severe condition when we came back from our trip.)

What is the bronchiolitis treatment in babies?
There is no cure for bronchiolitis, so treatment is aimed at the symptoms (eg, difficulty breathing, fever). Treatment at home usually includes making sure the child drinks enough and saline nose drops (with bulb suctioning for infants).To avoid the infection spreading to other children, take your child out of nursery or day care and keep them at home until their symptoms have improved.

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10 things to consider when choosing a preschool

When Charlotte was 2 years old, I've sorta decided to send her to a preschool when she turns 3. That's because I would rather pay more or less the same amount for a preschool program (with after school childcare service) than just a full-day childcare service.

I've semi-decided to send her to a kindie located just 5 minutes driving distance away from my house. But being a careful mom, I didn't wanna just send her there without doing any research and explore other opportunity, and then regret my decision later (cause registration fee and all are not cheap. It's usually not refundable, too). So I started asking around and visiting kindies since September of 2017.

Here are the 10 things I'd take into consideration when choosing a preschool for Charlotte-

1. Location

 Ideally, a preschool that is located in your own neighbourhood for easy drop off and pick-up. As a working mother, I need all the time I could have to get more things done eg. reaching the office early. Especially as a teacher myself, I would rather use the time I have to prepare for my lessons than to stuck in a traffic jam.

2. Communication

Before every school visit, I scheduled a 1-to-1 meeting with the principal to clarify all my doubts such as
◘ The breakdown on registration, miscellaneous and school fees
◘ Lesson/ program provided in school
◘ Daily schedule
◘ Provision for snack time and lunch time
◘ Class size for each age group
◘ Teacher-student ratio for each age group
◘ The rate of teacher's turn over
◘ How does the school react to certain scenarios (eg. when the child is sick or misconducts)

I appreciate schools that are as transparent as possible to ensure that what I want for my child (eg. healthy meals, assigned homework at a later age, etc.) is provided.

Now that Charlotte is attending school already, I make it a point to talk to the class teacher at least once a week to get an update on her progress. It really puts my heart at ease knowing that she's doing well in school.

3. Teacher-Student ratios

I found this on the MOE website. Putting it here for your reference :)

4. Teacher Turnover Rate

Preschools with high staff turnover rates mean the staff are unhappy and there is something not necessarily apparent that is wrong, whether it is because the staff are under paid, the center is managed poorly or the center is understaffed.

5. Discipline Policy

What type of system do they use when there is a problem? Positive reinforcement? Time out ? I'd check if the preschool uses discipline methods that I approve of. I definitely disapprove of physical punishment and shaming. And I appreciate communication from the teacher if my child(ren) would ever misconduct as I want to talk about it with my child(ren). I might also carry out some punishment at home to reinforce the seriousness of a misbehavior.

6. Food

I AM selective about what my children eat. Hence, I look into what kinds of foods are served to make sure the menu is consistent with my children's health and nutritional needs. I also make known to the principal and teacher not to give my children junk food. If there's any party pack that contains tidbits, I would like my children to bring them home (so that I can hide them away and buat dunno lol).

7. Environment

Check out the classrooms. I'd like to see children’s art pieces adorn the walls. Are there educational posters mounted at your child’s eye level?

Watch how the teachers interact with the kids ― do they talk at them? Do they bark orders at them? Or do they come down to the child’s level, make eye contact and talk to the child?

What kinds of playthings are available around the school? Are there outdoor play facilities? These give an indication as to how much emphasis the preschool places on play

8. Infrastructure

Cleanliness, safety and spaciousness are really important to me. I would find out what child safety measures and precautions the preschool has put in place. For instance, does the school do daily temperature checks? What happens if a child has a suspected contagious illness like HFMD? Where are the first-aid kits in the preschool located, and are there preschool staff who are trained in basic first aid and CPR? Hence, making school visits is a must for me to give me an insight into the school’s level of hygiene, whether the premises are child safe, and how daily meals are prepared. If your child has allergies, it is a good idea to find out how the school practises food safety.

9. Teaching methods

The two common ones that some Malaysia preschools may subscribe to:

* The Montessori method - Besides kids getting a hands-on approach to learning, the method believes that each child learns at his or her own pace (no comparing to the other kids).

* Waldorf approach - A structured approach to play-based learning. Your child spends certain days of the week doing things like baking, role-playing and gardening. It emphasises no screen-time and opts for natural wooden toys instead of battery-operated ones to inspire creative thinking.

I do not have a preferred method or approach because the most important thing to me is that my kids enjoy learning. The kindy Charlotte is attending adopts the Montessori method for kids age 3 to 5 and introduces the primary classroom method at age 6 to prepare them for primary school. I am totally fine with that, as long as the teachers know what they are doing and it's for the benefit of the children.

10. Budget

The cost of preschool in Malaysia can vary anywhere between RM300 a month to over RM1000 a month, so pick something that is within your price range. Charlotte's signed up for Extended Day Program where she gets to eat her lunch, have her nap and stays till 4pm. It cost rm600+ monthly, which is within my budget range.

My happie little school-goer :)

So far, Charlotte looks forward to go to school everyday! Even on weekends! She'd wake up and ask me "You want (to wear) school uniform? You want to see Teacher Pauline?" hahahahaha cause that's what I would ask her every school-day. So if I don't ask, she'd ask me back lol. And I must say, I am really really glad that she enjoys school.

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How do I know my daughter loves me ❤

1. She gives me kisses freely and willingly without asking.


2. She gives me kisses whenever I ask for it.


3. She hugs and kisses me whenever she has done something wrong #manipulative wtf

4. She kisses and hugs me whenever I am mad. 
- Ok let me elaborate a little. Sometimes I raise my voice when I teach out of frustration. She would run to me and call out to me gan-jiongly. If she's already seated in the high chair, she would just pull my sleeves and keep calling Mummy! Mummy! If I ignore her and continue to speak to my students in a loud and frustrating voice, she'd use both her hands to forcefully turn my head to look at her, and then looks at me very concernedly. If I'm not done, I'd tell her to wait. But she would pull me towards her and say Hap aaa. Hap! (read: Hug), then closes her eyes and hug me genuinely lolololololol. I wish I could take a video or picture of situations like this but it'd be awkward for the students to do so after getting scolded by me hahahahahahahahahaha.

5. She doesn't share her favourite food but she would sometimes let me take a bite. Not the whole piece, but a bite from a small piece. She would gladly give me the remaining if she cannot finish, though.

6. She doesn't latch in the middle of the night anymore. But she would wake up, climb up to our bed and lie next to me. Before falling back to sleep, she would conveniently lie on my arms or on my pillow so that her head touches mine, and says hap aaa hap! Sometimes, she would even hold my hand and place it on her buttock and say Pat! Pat aaaa pat! And if I remain still and ignore her, she would move my hand to pat on her buttock herself, and goes back to sleep. Within a minutes or two, she would turn  and sleep horizontally, forming a H sign, with the husband and I being the 2 vertical figures. Most of the time she sleeps like the picture shown below. I have to gather all the energy I have to carry her back down to her bed after she's fast asleep.

7. She stills waits outside of the kitchen or bathroom when I'm cooking or taking a shower or taking a dump. Even when the husband is around, she'd rather have me in sight. Especially when I'm sitting on the throne. She'd reach out her hands and says Hap aaa hap! Even after I tell her that I can't do it, she'd try harder by pursing her lips and says Hap aaa! Kiss! Nice try, Charlotte. Nice try.

8. When she finds something funny, she would purposely laugh loudly while looking at me. If I don't acknowledge her, she would forcefully turn my head so I would look at her and while she laughs even harder. Seriously, WHO TEACH YOU THAT!?

9. She likes to do silly things together with me. Like putting on my headband and flashes me with a big big smile.

10. She says "I Love You" to me all the time with or without prompting 💕

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Charlotte is walking!

Dear Charlotte,

It has been another wonderful month. To see you do what you do.

Last week has been a roller coaster ride for me, though. You're down with cough and flu with a lot of phlegm in your throat. It made you very uncomfortable, especially when you're asleep. You'd cough in the middle of the night and throw up. Last week alone I've changed your bed sheets 5 times. I've declared myself as the Queen of Changing Bed Sheets.

 Despite having to deal with you constantly trying to puke on me and me trying to catch every drop with my own bare hands, the highlight of the week (and month!) has to be you started walking! It was on the 21st of June, 2016 (Tuesday). I was teaching a student and you were crawling here and there trying to take and pull everything as usual.

Then, the unusual happened. You took more than 1 step unassisted, and fell. You stood back up, and took 3 unassisted steps! Then you went back to crawling. Throughout the 2 hours we were there, I realized you took another 4 to 5 steps a few times unassisted. I knew, you could walk already. And soon you'll be able to walk freely, and maybe wouldn't want me to hold you any longer. It was emotional for me as I really never I never imagine you would walk so soon as you're born with club foot.

So as I watched, I just lived in that moment and didn't bother to take any video. And then regretted a lil later hahaha. But that night, I saw it coming and so I had my camera ready.

It's been a week now and you're getting much better at walking. You'd stop and be afraid to step into into the elevator or place that you need to walk through a door, I don't know why. But you are walking more and more everyday. I always watch in awe, and then carry and hug you a little tighter when you happily walk towards me and hug me.

 I took another video of you walking with daddy the other day.

Go slow, my baby. You have a long way to go. Daddy and mommy will make sure to hold your hands so that you won't fall down clumsily. And even if you can finally walk freely, we will always be at least 2 steps behind.

 Love and kisses, 

Mummy 

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Charlotte's 1st Birthday Party

As many other proud parents out there, I wanted to do something for Charlotte when she turns ONE. I was contemplating between having a photo shoot or throwing a party. I've made a lot of calls and sent a lot of emails and text messages on Facebook. I've never done so many surveys to make a decision cause I'm usually the happy-go-lucky type. As much as I wanted to have a photo shoot, I also wanted to have a celebration to thank the people around us who helped us along the way.

In the end, I bought a second hand 50mm nikkor lens from Carousell and threw a party.

 We decided to have our celebration at Wichday Cafe . I've been there once about 2 years ago when my niece celebrated her first birthday. It was a simple one without dessert bar and decorations. And it was cheap. It was RM35 per pax back then.

So I called the owner, Yean. Unsurprisingly, it's not that rate anymore lol. We chatted through WhatsApp and she would show me pictures of her art work she had done for the parties held there before. I was quite impressed, actually.

So I gave her the theme I want - pastel colours and flowers. She tried asking me if Charlotte likes any cartoon characters but the fact is I don't really let her watch the television #asianmom. But I know what I like lolol so pastel colours and florals it is!

So after paying the deposit, basically there's nothing else I need to do. I wanted to prepare some wish cards for guest to write for Charlotte. I had the template and the cards ready but my printer was out! I told Yean about it and she offered to print them for me. So gam dong can!

So ya, there's really nothing else for me to do, except for following up with my guests' attendance and door gifts. And prepare Charlotte's birthday outfit. And order a customized cake lol.

Then came the day!


Took a picture of our little family before we left the house.


She napped in the carrier on our way there #somuchwin


What greeted us at the main entrance! Photo credits to my bff Carly cause I erm dashed in to eat before other guests arrive lololol.


Some other decos.


The dessert table! So pretty ❤  ❤  ❤  We can actually take back EVERYTHING on the table. So the kids happily took all the kitkats and cupcakes and water bottles and marshmallows.


The chalkboard chart! It was one of my requests. Though there are a few grammar errors oops.


The door gifts I prepared.


This was taken by my sister-in-law. I wrote every single thankQ note myself. I wrote a few versions, actually. Some I wrote something like this,

Hello!
It's not about Charlotte actually. It's about us surviving the first year of parenthood.
Nah, we're just kidding.
Or maybe not :P
Anyway, hope you enjoyed the party!

I'm not sure who took those cause so far nobody has taken any picture of them and comment about it hahaha.


The wish cards! They're gonna be capsuled in a box for Charlotte to open when she turns 18 :)


Last but not least, the customized cake I ordered from The Cakescape .


I love the golden cake topper. I've kept it for Charlotte, too.


Here's a picture of the princess of the day! Got the dress from a pop up store at Publika. Headband was from BBclips on Instagram.

Most photos were taken with our mobile phone cause the stupid mama brain forgot to charge the battery of my DSLR the day before fml.

What's missing, you ask?

THE FOOD TABLE! NO ONE TOOK ANY PICTURE OF THE FOOD TABLE!!!

But just in case anybody wants to know, we had 11 dishes. I'm pretty sure everyone was well fed cause there were extras left for us to bring home. I must say, the curry chicken is really really yummy.

The minimum headcount is 30 pax. Yean said the cafe can fit maximum 60 pax. I had 45 guests and I think it's already very crowded. There're not enough tables though there are plenty of chairs. Some of my guests left early because they saw people coming in but there's like "not enough space". So in my opinion, 40 is a comfortable maximum number.


We had a great time and we're glad that our guest enjoyed themselves, too. The husband said that the party was better than what he expected in every aspect. So if you'd like to have a small party for any occasion, I'd recommend Wichday Cafe.

Below are some of the details just in case you're interested. You're welcome.

Wichday Cafe
195, Jalan Sarjana, Taman Connaught
Cheras, Kuala Lumpur
0122149061 (Business hour only)
http://www.facebook.com/WichDay

The Cakescape
Ginnie @ 017-645 6759.
http://www.facebook.com/thecakescape/

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Happy Birthday, Charlotte

Did you know that Charlotte was actually scheduled to be out on the 29th of April, 2015?

I remember that day very well. I woke up, feeling anticipated and nervous yet excited at the same time. I fasted as told by the doctor. I didn't eat anything cause he said Do not eat anything for at least 8 hours.

But he didn't say Don't drink anything. So I drank a glass of milo ais while accompanying the husband as he had his breakfast. And the rest is history. You can read it here.

It's been a year! We've been parents for one freaking year! I can't really say that we did a really good job but still, we're gonna pat our own shoulders for surviving lol.

I remember everything vividly.

This day last year, I woke up, made sure I din't eat or DRINK anything before checking into the hospital. I remember telling myself Yay! First hospital stay for a really happy reason! wtf lol. I remember changing into the hospital gown and feeling so naked cause my butt was exposed hahaha. I remember taking pictures and just living that  moment. And I'm glad I did cause the memory is still so fresh!

Then I also remember waiting outside the operation theater and started to cry. Honestly I was not sure why. I just kept sobbing. The anesthetist offered me a dose of vitamin B complex to calm me down. I also remember the feeling when they injected me with epidural and how the anesthetist test my numbness by rubbing ice on my lower body.

I remember the sound of my gynae telling the nurses what to do and telling me what's going on. I remember I felt nothing but I know my body was being moved about. I remember my husband said how much blood and water there was but I just couldn't feel anything.

Then I heard a loud cry. The husband said the doctor didn't even need to wack the buttocks to initiate that cry lol.

And then she was brought to me as the nurses was cleaning me up. They showed me her pat pat to ensure me that it's a girl hahaha.

I remember the first faces I saw once I was out of the OT. I saw my dad, my stepmom and my husband. My dad kissed me and I felt so happy.

I waited in a temporary ward cause my bed was not ready. Within an hour, the nurse brought my baby to me. I remember trying to sit up cause I wanted to feed her but the wound was so so so so so so SO hurtful. But I still push myself cause they said it's crucial to have skin to skin contact and latch as soon as possible. I remember not knowing what to do but just shoot my breast into her mouth. I remember it was an overwhelming feeling. And when she's done, I remember how amazed I was to see that my nipples can be stretched and reshaped lol.

I remember just staring at her. And felt so proud of myself, thinking I just gave birth to a human being!

What seemed to be a rocking start, like every other new parent, we've finally made it through the first year. And as everyone told me, all this shall pass. No matter how difficult the situation, no matter how long some days seem to be, there's always a new beginning. It's called Tomorrow.

Yesterday, I did not post anything on social media. I spent lesser time on my phone. Cause all I wanted to do was to spend a good day with Charlotte before she officially turns ONE. It was an amazing day. There were moments she looked me into my eyes and smile. Widely and genuinely. It's like she's telling me Good job, mommy. We've made it! And I feel like, whatever's broken can be mend. Everything's gonna be ok. Everything's gonna be better.




I will continue to plant kisses on your chubby cheeks every single days no matter how you try to struggle or push  me away fml. I hope that you're not afraid to fall and you will continue to laugh as your heart desires. I hope you stay curious and be bold in exploring the wonders around you. I hope you have courage and be kind. I wish nothing but the best for you.

Happy Birthday, my baby.

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My Breastfeeding Journey

Before I was married, I told my husband that I WILL breastfeed our child if I ever become a mother because we can save up a lot wtf. Honestly, it wasn't because of the goodness as I was not well educated on the benefits of breastfeeding for both mother and baby. All I was certain is that it's free and it's gonna save us a lot of kaching lol. I was so ready to breastfeed my own baby even before getting married thanks to the people around me.

So when I found out that I was pregnant, I started to do more studies on how to kick start my breastfeeding journey. I was lucky as I have cousins who were already breastfeeding their children so I can turn to them when I have questions. Besides reading online articles and asking my cousins questions, I also attended a complimentary prenatal class provided by the hospital. And to make sure I started off on the right track, after much self debate, I registered myself into Gina's Place : The Breastfeeding Postnatal Centre to do my confinement. Debated because it's really pricey as compared to hiring a confinement lady. But let me tell you this: It's worth every single penny we paid. I'll share more with you in another post.

And that was it. I concluded that I have to start latching within the first hour and the rest will slowly take place. I thought I was well prepared and ready.

The First 2 Painful Months

Before Charlotte's arrival, I'd sometimes playfully squeeze my nipples during bath time (sorry too much info) so by 20 weeks pregnant, I already had white liquid coming out when I squeeze my nipple. This makes me even more confident that I can breastfeed my baby. True enough, before I went into the operation theater on that fateful day, my gynae pinched my nipple and said, "Good! Your milk has already kicked in." Oh what joy to hear these words!

After delivery, I took Charlotte to the breast and started to let her latch. To make sure I have milk, I'd pinch my nipple to form big drops of milk on it before I let her latch on. I remember as I fed and the nurse was watching, I kept asking if I was doing it right. The nurse took a look and said, "Yes. Oh, and please make sure that her nose is not covered. Hold on your breast so there's airway for her to breathe."

So I did as told. I carried her on one hand and used the other hand to "remove" the flesh of my breast that could possibly block her breathing airway.

After latching, I was surprised to see the shape of my nipple became long and had BLOOD BLISTERS! I was horrified but didn't react much cause I knew it was gonna hurt somehow. So I told myself that it's normal.

I got discharged the next day and checked into Gina's Place. By then, my boobs were sore and painful but I thought, it's ok, I'll be taken care of soon.

When Gina came in, she attended to me to see if I was doing well. I told her proudly that I've been feeding Charlotte since the first hour, though the pain is a little bothering.

She looked as I was feeding Charlotte that time, and asked why am I pressing my breast. When I told her that I was told to do so by the nurse at the hospital, she looked at me and said that our breast are formed perfectly for a baby to latch on, whether it's big or small. There's no need to purposely "create" an air way for her to breathe. When I unlatched Charlotte, she saw my cracked nipples and went, "Oh dear, they're pretty hurt!". Charlotte was not latching properly and what I thought was normal (cracked nipples) are actually not okay!

The consequences of not attending a proper breastfeeding class.

I was totally not well prepared when I thought I was! When Gina asked why I didn't attend her breastfeeding class, I was brought to tears and told her about my financial difficulty. You see, I resigned before I found out that I was pregnant. I also turned down a good job opportunity and missed another one. So I was pretty unemployed throughout my pregnancy. I was ready to fork out one big sum for the hospital bill and for the confinement center so I tried my best to save up on other little things. Well, attending a proper breastfeeding class shouldn't be a "little thing". I learnt it the hard way.

The first 2 months of my breastfeeding journey was the most hurtful of all! Every time before Charlotte latches on, I have to count to 3, or sometimes 5, to prepare myself for the first latch. It's so hurtful that I have to hunch my back, bend my knees and bite my lips when she first latch on. It gets ok after that first 10 seconds. But imagine having to feed every 2 hours! I never thought of giving up but the pain, oh dear, the pain was taking a toll on me.

So I went to seek for more advice. I went to the doctor to check if Charlotte was tongue-tied but she's not. After examination, the doctor said she can suck very well. So the doctor prescribed me with medication for my cracked nipples. I applied it religiously and washed with tap water after every feed and tap it dry with a towel so that the bacteria in Charlotte's saliva won't prolong the crack. Thankfully after 2 freaking months, and with the support from my beloved husband, Nipples of Steel are formed wtf.

Since then, breastfeeding has been a blissful journey. Now Charlotte can pull up down left right and I feel nothing!

On Direct Latching

Direct latching could get a little difficult later as the baby is more sensitive to her surroundings. She'd latch on a while and then unlatch to kepoh and then latch on again. But I have to say this, to be able to nurse her directly is the most awesome feeling I could ever ask for. I know that she will want no one but me when she's hungry because I', her sole food supplier wtf.

Feeding my baby directly also gives me the convenience I need everywhere I go. I don't have to worry about how many bottles of milk I need to bring out or how much hot water is enough to bring out to warm her milk. Whenever she's hungry, I'll just need to unbutton my shirt and stuff it right into her mouth lolol. No cleaning up necessary too! Let me show you a few pictures of me breastfeeding in public.

Using the carrier.

On the plane.

Covered with a nursing apron.

I used the carrier (best investment EVER!) most of the time to carry her wherever I go so most of the nursing happens there lol. It's easy and convenient. You might feel a little intimidated for the first time (nursing in public!) but after a few practice, You'll get the hang of it. 

On Pumping

Although Charlotte stays with me most of the time even when I'm working, I'd still pump to stock up in case of emergency. I have to admit that I don't pump regularly, especially at night cause of laziness. In the beginning, I'd do tandem pumping and I only yield 3 - 4oz per session. Mind you, that's normal yield! Not low yield. You might have seen some mommies sharing their high yield result online i.e. 10oz in 7 minutes. It's good to have high yield and I do get jealous sometimes. Anyway, I think my milk regulated and 5oz per pumping session was the maximum I could yield so far.

When I started working and she then had a nanny to look after her, whenever she used up 2 bottles, I'd wish to stock up 4 bottles. I felt insecure cause I used to compare myself with other mommies who can yield very well. When Charlotte was 5 months old, nanny quit cause her daughter-in-law gave birth to a baby boy. Since then, Charlotte has never taken the bottle. I'd still pump and stock them up. My freezer became so full and in the end, I have to give some away to make way for fresh ones.

So far, I've donated almost 300oz of milk. 35oz was used to make 2 kg of breastmilk soap. 10oz are now processing to be made into beads! I'll show you after I get them in around July. I've also used some to bath Charlotte. Ya, the milk bath.

Second time donating milk. Roughly 100oz here.  

If you'd like to know, I use Spectra M1 to pump. My faithful pump has served me for a good whole 10 months. But on the 19th of March, 2016, I decided to keep it away in the cabinet cause, well, I haven't been pumping since January. It's been lying around ready to serve me anytime but there's just no time for it. And since Charlotte direct latches 24seven, I couldn't pump out extra to stock up. The last time I pump was on the 1st of March but I could only yield 2oz after 45 minutes. So with a heavy heart, I put it away. ThankQ pump. I hope you'll be able to serve again some time in the future. Hopefully.

1 more month!

Yes, exactly 1 more month till Charlotte reach ONE and till I reach my first breastfeeding target. My goal is to at least breastfeed her for 2 years but I won't pressure myself. When will I let her wean off? When she's ready. Even if it means another 3 more years, or that I won't have enough sleep or rest, or that I'm the only person who can comfort her and put her to sleep, I don't mind. I'm still breastfeeding now and I'm treasuring every moment we share cause it's just too precious to me.

If you're breastfeeding, kudos to you for giving your child the best you can give. Just remember, if it feels hard to carry on, the nights are long and the years are short.

I live by these words and it has got me through many sleepless nights :)

Happy Breastfeeding!

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