i shall not stop writing.

i haven't stopped writing although i may have kinda stopped touching personal issues in here. but i promise to keep updating in a more professional level HERE.

Showing posts with label mother cat's claws. Show all posts

All About Jada Kyra at 23 months

my inspiration for this entry ;)

It's 11.15pm when I started typing this and am just dreading the moment, if, in case little jj does a number on me the way she did late last night.

Ok, I must say that she has expanded her vocabulary awfully quick. Although most of the time she would talk gibberish, there would be times when we are all surprised by the words that came out of her without us pushing her to repeat after us.

Like the other day, she held her precious giraffe toy and said, "biraffe"...

Then she pointed out a photo of shoes and boots in her counting & colours book and said, "syuuu"...

And she loves to pick up coins from our room or her brother's room and would hand them over to me. Usually, I would say thank you to her but the other day, she said, "kangkoo" before handing over the coins ;)

Yesterday, she saw the birth of a baby giraffe on Animal Planet and said, "goat!" haha...

she also has that fiery part of her... hehe but this one is only for show ;P

And we recently saw her acting on her curiosity at mommy's beloved kitchen. Being a toddler, she's a naturally curious munchkin. But, I had always been able to manage that curiosity because she would hear me say, "No", and be very obedient not to touch stuff in the kitchen. Even when I leave a cupboard open, she would just look at the cookwares and plates and stuff and not touch them... until very recently, though. It helped that our kitchen cabinets do not have knobs on them. As it is pretty difficult to open them, she had only learnt the tricks to that and only recently started to rummage through everything. Yup, that she recently did.

habis kitchen cabinet mama... all attached firmly with latches :D

Being her mom and knowing her baby's character to the T, I wondered when she'd start getting sick. You know how it is with some beliefs that when a baby starts to acquire certain skills, she'd be down with fever? I remembered when she started to count 1-10 out loud months ago and said few things like 'abang' and 'atuk' and 'nenek' and 'cupcakes' and 'chicken' and stuff, she fell ill right after :D but that was expected because I did read somewhere on the net that a baby's brain can only absorb an X amount of info and too much info all at once can be pretty overwhelming for them.

So, with this belief and an anticipation to be prepared for another bout of fever especially since she's been sneezing a lot too, I got disturbed when she kept crying at many intervals last night although she has turned in by 10pm. It was after midnight when she cried non-stop and though I would like to just ignore it since daddy can manage, I was worried that she actually had developed a temperature.

I was glad, though, that I checked in on her because the top part of her pyjamas was wet from her tears and I definitely didn't want her to catch cold since she sleeps in an air-conditioned room. Changed her into another pair of pyjamas and held her tight while I lay on my back on the sofa in the living room.

Now, this is another new habit she has... she loves to just lie on her tummy while she's either on her daddy, her abang or moi... only the three of us. It's as if she misses hearing the sound of the heartbeat that when she's cranky, she'd instantly become calm when she lies on us that way.

She held me tight as if not wanting me to leave her (since I don't sleep with her anymore) and I actually thought she would fall asleep soon after. To my surprise, she lifted her head and said, "kih kih kih muahh muaahh" while she kissed my face repeatedly hehe...

So, from around 1 am til probably 4.30am, I was with her (while I fell asleep on and off) watching episodes of Chuggington, and Handy Manny... and Mickey Mouse Clubhouse, where by this time, she was already on her feet and jumping to the tunes... and Special Agent OSO, and so on. At one point, I actually thought she went into our room because I could hear her say, "beat beat beat", where she would tap on us if she wants to wake someone up hehe... but I later realised that she actually went to her abang's room to get him to play with her. Abang, of course, was snoring heavily as we all had a looooong day yesterday, walking around in Ikea and then picking up daddy before we headed over to Giant's to get diapers.

Oh ya, the one woke up for awhile to accompany us at the living room during all these. In fact, at first I thought he woke up to switch to the sports channel but I guess he was tired as well and went back into the room soon after.

Around 4.30am when I could see little jj being fidgety, I reckon that I should push her to sleep and the only way to do it (when mommy has to put her to sleep in the room) was to offer her my boobies. Yup, although she has weaned off me completely, she still haven't got the hang of no boobies to sleep when she's laid to sleep in the room.... only with mommy, and only when she's in the room. So, by the time she had totally fell asleep was about an hour later.

Damn it was a truly tiring night for me and I was glad that today was a pretty calm day... The best part of it was that little jj fell asleep very easily for her afternoon nap and that lasted a good 3 hours of peace and serenity ;)

i wasn't that rajin today but this chicken soup was enough to make little jj full and slept soundly...

As a mom, I am of course extremely happy to see how cute she's become and how much she has developed so far... we are all adjusting to her new habits and even bought a gate for our kitchen. Yup, my fault that I had asked the contractor to remove the door to our kitchen because I felt that it wasn't necessary but then again, I wouldn't feel safe to not know what's happening inside the house if I were to cook with the door closed. So, we're only starting to install the gate.

Her latest habits make her feel so precious to me and I love that bond of holding her tight and keeping her secure. It can be daunting at times when she needs me to be near her almost all the time and it can be pretty tiring when she starts to get very demanding but most of the time, and hearing her talk, I feel so damn proud of her.

am now trying my best to get her to swim... we're pretty slow on this...

I count my blessings and am truly grateful for everything in my life.

Ok... it is already after midnight and I have a feeling she wouldn't be pulling that same stint tonight *cross my fingers*

Owh, it's a Friday already! Shall I plan for a day out to KLCC tomorrow (I mean, today)?? *wink*

little jj did this with my phone for the first time ever...

I So Need A Break!

I'm a little stumped and feeling a little tired from what's happening to people around me.

I dunno what is it with damsels in distress. Why do people keep getting involved in situations that pull them lower and lower every single time? Could it be that they are either so damn unlucky all the time or do they subconsciously put themselves in that situation on purpose? Does it bring so much pleasure to them knowing that there are people who'd come to their rescue every single time and do they feel some kind of power knowing that there are people who'd drop everything for them so that they don't feel so lonely?

Why do some people allow themselves to be the victims of circumstances? If you had put yourself in such a situation when you darn well know the consequences, is it fair for you to cry foul and for everyone to come to your rescue? After awhile, it gets pretty mundane and I cannot help but to question why... why are you constantly in the dumps? Haven't you learnt anything? And when will you listen to your gut feeling?

Seriously, I feel awfully tired. It's not that I don't care... I do... I will do anything in my powers to support you even if I know it's a lost cause. But I cannot do that all the time... I cannot have people suck my positive energy because what will be left for myself or for my family who depends on me for my constant attention?

Sometimes, I feel that people out there do not really need help. Yes, they come crying for help but they don't listen. They keep repeating their mistakes and for what? Why? And when I tried to relay my message across, that makes me the bad person?

Can you only come to me if you really need help and want to help yourself? Because I could only do so much. I need my energy for more important things... material stuff are just petty to me.

So, what am I gonna do? Cry foul to someone else when I put myself in this situation? I need to get out and I don't seem to be able to get my message across clearly although I've been frank enough. You may think I am selfish but then, you are too. Just get up already... open your eyes for just one minute and start to take control of your life. You just have to.

It's tough being a mom, yet tougher as a good mom.

It has been a very tiring day today (Saturday)... all of us in the family had quite a full day, starting as early as 7.45am til almost 10pm just now and this toughcookie fell asleep unintentionally only to be sharply awaken by little jj who badly needed the attention from someone. Well, my 13-year old was busy on the net while daddy was engrossed with his PS3 and I guess the only fair thing to do was to wake mommy up as mommy will do anything to keep her happy.

I woke up, gave her the much deserved attention and passed her back to daddy while I finally get to do laundry at such a late hour. In a situation like this, we all do what we have to do, don't we?

Anyways, this got me to thinking about Mothers' Day tomorrow (or today, rather, as this post was drafted just before midnight prior to Mothers' Day). Now, whomever says that mommies are allowed the same benefit as those in employment during Labour Day? Which mommy can tell me if they really are granted an off day, like totally, 100% - no cleaning, no cooking, no tending to any members of the family, nothing... anyone?

It's never easy being a mom, and it is even more difficult to be a good mom....

A good mom doesn't just deliver a baby into the world and raise the baby up hoping that they'd be a successful person automatically... a good mom does much more beyond taking care of their kids. A good mom tends to the family, put everyone else's needs before hers, raise her children up well to be a human of strong character, tell them frankly if they have made a mistake so that they would be a better person and be sure to support them in times of need. A good mom would not be afraid to let her kids know who's boss yet allow her kids to develop into who they want to be even with some pressure put on them because she has experienced it all before and does not wish to have her kids go through life's tough lesson the hard way.

I am not sure how good of a mom I've been so far... but I do know that I've worked very hard to support my family even during those 7 years of life as a single mom, raising a child with ADHD and Dyslexia, so that I could afford the therapy bills and additional classes for my growing child's needs. I would so want to be a good mom but seeing how different my 13-year old is now that he's in a stage where his friends seem to be more important than family, I would want to learn how other moms with grown up sons handle their teenage needs and how tough it is to want to be firm and tough without putting too much pressure on them.

It's never an easy task being a parent, not just for a mom. But since I am on the topic of Mothers' Day, allow me to just indulge in my emotional rush via this form of expression that I know best - writing.

I think I started to fully appreciate my mom as my mom when I got my first child. I suddenly realised the sacrifices that she had to go through, especially having us kids who didn't necessarily made her entirely happy. Yes, she has her weaknesses where our personality clashes like nobody's business and yes, we had our heated moments back then. Heck, there were too many disagreements especially on my way of life, the decisions that I made and so forth that made our relationship a little tense at one point in time, but I've realised that she has not been a mother who's not good.

Having a teenage child and one baby who clings on me constantly, I realised that my mom, despite whatever situation we're in, would always not fail to remind me that she's my mother, so that I will never lose ground.

I realised that despite whatever challenges that went her way, she would never lose sight of her children, bring us all back into what's real, nags all she wants if she feels she needs to, make us hate being in that situation if the situation calls for it yet at the end of the day, we all know that all was done because of her love for her children and her children are hers for an entire lifetime. No mother would want their kids to suffer through life yet no good mothers would want their kids to not learn their lessons after a bad fall, either.

It's never easy being a mother, as I have recently realised after some bouts of crisis, and even harder being a good mother.

A good mother does not need to be afraid to correct the wrong yet admit that she has made a mistake, and lower her ego all in the name of love. A good mother doesn't protect her kids who have done grave mistakes while she reprimands those who truly love her, who does whatever it takes for her and constantly thinks only of her feelings. I mean, what good does it do to mistreat the better children only to protect those bad apples because a good mom would know that that will never solve the problem, and the individual will never learn her lesson.

A good mother doesn't go against her word just for her convenience but demonstrate equal respect to all her kids because she knows that respect is earned and that she would want her kids to respect and love her, not only because it's her rights as a mom.

A good mother is able to tolerate life's challenges because she, of all people, would understand more about life while her kids are still only less than half of her age, who still needs time to learn while they tread the rough pathways of life and that they need all the guidance they can get unconditionally, not being treated second class just because they are willing to put up with everything in order to learn and be a better person.

Yes, it is hard being a mother, and more so, being a good mother.

I am still learning especially in this recent development dealing with a growing boy-turning-into-a- young man who sometimes rebel and unsure of what he needs to do or where he should step. A good mother will not let her child get lost and bring him back with proper guidance.

As much as I had so much resentments with how my mother handled me before - of how overly protective she was of me in my teenage years, so much so that I couldn't even go out with my friends until I've completed my SPM exams... I couldn't understand why I needed to be chauffeured driven everywhere I went and why I was constantly reminded to take good care of myself, as if I didn't already know of that particular fact.

The truth is, as much as it sounded really irritating - of her repeating to me constantly to take good care of myself, I guess I now am so thankful for that constant nagging as I now know that she loves me that much to be so worried of me and afraid that I'd lose myself in the beauty of life as a grown lady.

Mak, is a conservative woman who didn't bother much about being a friend to her daughter because she felt that discipline and doing everything proper, according to her style was the way to raise her children. It was a stressful life being a teenager under her roof and I never understood her style fully.

Now that I am a mother myself, I am exhumed with total relief that she raised me the way she did as all her qualities of a good mom suddenly became so clear to me...

Yes, being a good mom is not very easy but that her ways of raising her children made us who we are today, prevented us from making any irreversible life mistakes that could ruin our future but most of all, ensuring that her kids do not take her for granted. She's firm and she's an even tougher cookie compared to me but after 34 years of my life, I suddenly realised that she had at least tried to be a good mom. No matter how difficult her children once thought life was under her roof, we all could now safely testify that after having kids of our own, and going through life one day at a time, we are truly grateful to be born in that family and to have her as our mother.

She is a remarkable mother and I deem her, a good mother.

It ain't easy being a good mother, but she has been one damn good mother.

There is no need to pretend in our family and there isn't any need to be manipulative to get what we want. Everything is done in a straight-forward manner and honesty becomes a very important factor for the family to remain strong albeit with the many weaknesses.

Now that I have kids of my own, I would like to take all the positive things that she's taught us. I vow to never lose sight of what's important for my kids that whatever I do or the decisions that I make for them (while they are under this same roof or not), will be for their benefit in the long run. I know I would need to be strong to face resistance from my kids if they find it hard to understand why I do the things I do because I know, 10-20 years down the road, they will be in my shoes now, looking back and realising that yes... it is difficult being a mom, but mommy was definitely a good mom.

i love you, mak... and i'm glad i got the chance to tell you that.

Happy Mothers' Day.

The blog title is an affirmation.

Recently, I’ve been plagued with a downturn in my energy to post new entries. In fact, I’ve drafted several but yet to click the ‘PUBLISH POST’ button because I am hell bent on posting something sincere from the heart and they may be too much info from the heart.

After blogging for what, 4-5 years now… I think I may have reached that cycle of most bloggers. I mean, many of them bloggers whom I was associated closely then, no longer blog actively. And like them, I am also more into tweeting for a quick, simple and hassle-free update, which is almost like writing a blog post, only much shorter.

Currently, many people blog for money. I can’t say much about it because as much as I felt that I would be leaving personal blogging for good, my dwindling spirits were suddenly given a little motivation boost (if not much) after looking at the continuous increase in the amount I am getting from Nuffnang. Hence, this blog post.

I dunno… apart from the fact that the normal lifecycle of a blogger is the contributing factor for this 'downturn', many things happening and moi not getting any younger, tends to make one get very much involved in life’s turn of events. And let’s face it, I’m a passionate person. I never really realised that until the one pointed that out to me and I have come to terms with that fact, that I am passionate in whatever issues I get myself involved with… while some are very positive, those negative ones are what kept my brain working because naturally, everyone would want to improve their life experiences and I would definitely want to improve myself – to be better and to not easily fall for people with so much negative energy in them because they easily pull others down with them.

Let’s face it. This passionate woman only has the best interests to those dear to her. But not everyone knows how to appreciate a passionate person. Some would come to me probably only for affirmation and you can’t get that from me every time since this toughcookie will only tell you the truth about what she feels from it all and we all know that the truth may not be that easy to accept. But, one should hear the truth… the fact that every one else gives you that loud cheer and agrees to everything you say or do, does not necessarily make them a good friend. Same goes to when a person does something against your will, doesn’t necessarily make them an enemy because from my experience in life, one may not be on your side because they are acting on your best interest – many a times you may not even realise it because one will only believe what one wants to believe. When that happens, it’s not their loss but yours.

I like to look at many different angles about any issues. Some say I think a lot but the one could vouch that my thinking allows me to foretell statements that do not tally which most often lead to us trapping insincere people in their own web of lies. I don’t know whether this comes from just seeing things from all angle or coupled with strong female instincts… or maybe, I am just a natural “lie detector”.

And that [partly] contributed to the dwindling mood to update my personal blog because I think I’ve come to a stage where I only want to divulge my personal views, daily experiences, etc. only to those who matters to me – those really dear to me, who sincerely loves to keep abreast with what’s happening with me lately… not those who just want to read to further scrutinise what’s happening in my life, and then make calls to their friends/officemates/parents back home/[insert whatever as you please], to gossip and talk behind my back.

Yup, I do not want to give that benefit to those undeserving.

But though it’s a dilemma of sorts, I guess after seeing an increase in the amount I got from Nuffnang though I haven’t been consistently updating, I just have to brush insignificant people aside and focus on what I have long been working on.

Guess at times, even the most passionate and positive person could get a little side-tracked.

What Kind Of Food Do You Give A Sick Toddler?

Little jj is recovering from the slight fever she caught since Saturday. She was on and off with high temperature and I will always get a little concerned when it comes to her lack of appetite.

So today, at lunch, I get to see the strong resemblance of her daddy when her appetite sorta returned when I fed her hash browns from guess where - McD's! Like daddy like daughter, I'd say in this sense.

I do not want to spoil her diet because McD's is junk food to me and not a source of a healthy diet for a sick toddler. But another part of me wants her to eat so badly that it made me so happy to see her finally eat like she normally does. Once in awhile is ok then, eh?

I blame daddy for this love of McD hehe... so I guess it's true when they say that whatever you do when your partner is pregnant will most likely be presented in your little junior, be it good or bad :D

The only consolation in this case is that McD's is only downstairs and I liked the fact that little jj drinks lots and lots of water (just like mommy!) especially when she's under the weather.

When Friday comes, I would always get super duper excited about little jj's kiddy-gym session for the next morning... I mean, compared to the super timid, super unacceptance of unfamiliar people (including atuk & nenek!), uber princess-ey to the point of being too cautious to even step down a 1" split level that she was before, the classes at Kizsports and the wonderful teachers there helped transformed her into a more boisterous toddler who's so open to try out new things. Yes, she's still not very friendly to people she doesn't see every day but at least she's more daring. I especially love the new things and new habits that she's developed that makes everyday such a sweet sweet day that comes and goes waaay too fast.

And although she is super unfriendly to her nenek and atuk, their undying love and unwavering efforts to win her heart have seen positive results... well, at least when mama is not around ;P

Those cute cute gestures in the way she warms our heart and her cheekiness in making sure we'll melt upon seeing her laugh and talk nonsense, had thwarted the one in his steps earlier this morning. He was almost ready for work when little jj got out of bed, stretched her hands up to reach out for daddy, so that daddy would pick her up and hold her for as long as possible. And for that, little jj made daddy stay home today to spend as much quality time with her because she is so irresistible in our eyes and to appreciate all the little gestures that she's displaying.

Anyways, things have been going on pretty swell for us so far. For me, work has been continuous. It was a mad mad dash for tight multiple deadlines especially when I missed 2 days when we got the baby that we were supposed to adopt. I had spent a little too much time with the preparations for the arrival of the baby, like making up the new room and picking up those involved that I actually risked my work reputation. But I guess as they say, with faith, good things'll happen and I thank god for protecting me... it was a strange coincidence that the client fell sick and later on was too busy to check the documents that were given to me that they actually gave me a one week extension for that particular project.

But... when one project gets delayed, all the other stuff gets affected by the domino effect.

Still, all are manageable and eventually, things are getting back to normal. In fact, in between getting things done this week, I had managed to slot in two needle work for 2 separate attires that I am wearing to 2 different events... I managed to spruce up a dress I got for the one's salsa-themed dinner by adding bits of sequins and beads just to make the dress a little more elegant under ballroom lights and I am still not done with the beadwork for a kebaya that I'll be wearing as emcee for an event early April.

With all these juggling things around, I received a call from a headhunter on Wednesday who asked me whether I'd like to return to the corporate world. Now this is a question that I've always dread to answer, simply because I have never really been that firm in my future plans. All I know is that my earlier intention when little jj was born, was for me to take a 6 months break. However, the 6 months have stretched to almost 2 years now and I am not sure why I should be looking back.

With whatever that I have been doing, I am happy to note that I have been re-acquainted with a treasured friend, whom I thought I have lost contact so long ago, due to some stuff that were happening in her life. Although I never really know the truth of the situation, I know she always have this special spot in my heart and I am glad that business has re-connected us. The fact that I'm on my own allows me to think out of the box, without much constraints and I am free to explore opportunities and get in touch with many wonderful people.

I am happy where I am now. I have the flexibility to work at my own pace while at the same time able to look after my children on my own... I know where the eldest is, I could send him to school and pick him up from school... I know what my kids are eating and I could add in activities with them in between. But... there's this space inside of me that's still opening that gate of possibilities to be attached back to the corporate world although ironically, when given that opportunity a few months ago, I backed out at the last minute as I was sure that I was shown 'signs' against it. Now, why am I still having that gate open?

I guess when I think long and hard about this, I am probably leaving my options open only because we humans are never really satisfied with our achievements... "the grass is greener on the other side", they say and it probably looks so glamourous to be known in the industry. But the truth is, I believe I really already have a firm answer, although I am finding it hard to tell people that I do not wish to go back to the jungle. Never say never, they say.

So, yeah. That's it.

And in all good things that's happening within the week, it is quite a relief to finally get news of payment for services rendered more than 6 months ago. In this business, you would come across parties like this but for this job, the depth of work involved and the fact that the business relationship was built on a long-term friendship, it was pretty disappointing to note that the other party was manipulating my considerate nature.

In this case, I think I don't agree with the saying that goes something like you need to see good things in people for people to see goodness in you because life doesn't always work that way. Firstly, the other party may not use their 'coconut' like you do and secondly, you would easily get taken advantage of. Yes, it is nice to only see the positive side of things but to what extent?

I find that many people (or at least, a handful of people around me) are prone to amnesia. Within the last few weeks, I was unfortunate to come across these people who easily forget what they promised earlier and how they beg in order to get help in the first place. I mean, when one is desperate, it is so easy to promise things and it is so easy for people to say things according to what they think you want to hear. It is such a surprise that these people do not have conscience nor guilt only to cover up their arse.

To me, I say, be frank in the first place so that things can be ironed out the simplest way possible for the best outcome. But I guess in business, you'd have to be shrewd to be successful. Whatever. My motto is - simple, honest and straightforward. I may not get super duper rich in a short amount of time because of this motto but hey... I am an easy to please person.

It is alarming to note that I have to beg for money owed to me although everything was already agreed in the first place and the payment has been long overdue. But, since I pride myself to be able to detect liars, I sensed some irregularities in the correspondences for the last 3-4 months and am truly grateful to the Almighty for leading me to another party for a quick clarification. I would like to close this particular chapter by this Monday when the payment is ready and I would so like to discard all these negative energy around me and bury them deep under the blue ocean.

I guess with all these, I come out wiser although I am a little worried as I become more cautious of people and have so much distrust in people. That is a negative trait that shouldn't consume me. But, I believe that this is a natural phase that one goes through when something like this occur and this barrier of trust is pulled up for protection. Trust is such a big word... it is so precious and priceless because it takes years to build yet could collapse in an instant. When that happens, you have the choice to build it up again or you could simply ignore the party totally because they become insignificant to you.

So, I shall continue to focus on what's significant in my life and work things out in the best possible way. The week has not ended yet and I am wishing for a continuous positive stride.

No, I am not pregnant.

So, to friends who already knew and those who didn’t, I am not pregnant but was about to adopt.

In the midst of those news everywhere in our country of babies being murdered, burnt to death even, we were approached with a problem… of a baby born out of wedlock, the mother who’s unable to care for her due to it being a big sin in the eyes of our society and of her family who wouldn’t want to bear the public humiliation.

I think while some people think it is a noble intention to take in another stranger’s baby to raise as your own, others probably think it is a glorified sacrifice… that one probably does this to portray oneself as a hero to everybody. I don’t think that is a fair statement, although everyone has the right to his or her opinions.

First of all, the intention to adopt doesn’t come very easily. One would have to know that they’re prepared to face so many risks and consequences. For the one and I, we saw the positive side of it first. We saw how so much more conducive the environment can be for the baby to grow up with us, how much both parents could shower the baby with the love she deserves and the security and stability that we would have provided for her.

Don’t get me wrong, I always believed that the best person to raise a baby is her own mother. A mother’s love can never be replaced. A mother can do anything to protect her child where in this case, the mother initially thought something she couldn’t handle.

In our Asian society where a woman is always expected to take care of her pride and self respect, a lot of these women are shunned from the society as they are seen to have made the gravest mistake of their lives. Our Malay society would more often judge them for being easy and families would disown them. Hence, the reason why the so many recent cases of babies being left to die by their own mother.

While some of us continue to judge them, we, on the other hand, were only thinking about the baby. Yes, it was none of our business as it wasn’t our mess, but since we were called in when this situation occurred, what else could we have done. Of course, we could have just closed one eye and pretended that we didn’t have to care but I dunno… as a mother myself and seeing how innocent the baby looked in the picture, I can’t help but to feel for her and offered a solution which I knew was doable.

The mental and physical preparation for parents to adopt cannot be taken so lightly. First of all, we would have already prepared ourselves mentally to raise the baby as our own. More often than not, a lot of parents out there who adopt, wouldn’t want to tell society that their baby is adopted. They would want to say it’s theirs because of many reasons, more specifically as they want to keep providing that security for the baby and to ensure that they are always fair in how they treat all their children. For us, we went a little over board in our excitement as if we were getting a baby of our own. We’ve prepared everything needed for the baby to be as comfortable as possible in our care and we've notified those significant to us, to avoid questions later.

We only had about 1 week to prepare and although we already have so many clothes and stuff of little jj’s, we still went all out to get new stuff for her since I felt that the new baby deserves some new stuff.

We’ve even made the little munchkin understand about the arrival of the new baby and why it is important to treat her as a family member. In fact, the little munchkin was even willing to give up his room to his 2 sisters and we transformed our office into a room that’s adequate enough for him. After all, we only had 1 week but once we have set our mind into something, we went all out into making sure we were prepared for the baby’s arrival. Heck, we were even discussing about changing my soccermom car to a 7-seater MPV just so that we could accommodate more people, when the need arise.

It’s like, when you put your mind into something, we were willing to do what it takes. All these at top of our mind, always knowing that one day, the mother would want to look for her child and the child, upon understanding why there is no information of the father on her birth certificate, would question her existence and her rights to the truth.

Yes, we were aware of all these. We were. And that mental preparation is something that we’ve conditioned ourselves, and the immediate families that were to be our best support system.

But… in the end… I guess you can only help those who want to help themselves. I guess in some cases like this, where the family initially only cared about how society would look upon their family, once they have seen the baby, all that disappeared. Decisions can change and you would also come across those characters who were silent and weren’t even considered in the initial decision making process, claiming their willingness to take the baby into their care.

So, in the end, it became what everyone else felt. Decisions were made not for the best interest of the baby but what everyone else wanted.

I am not disappointed at the mother changing her mind after we have taken care of the baby because as a mother, I fully understand how much pain she must have felt after carrying the baby full term. I am only disappointed at how everything turned out in the end… that process when the baby was taken away from our care.

Frankly, we felt relieved that the mother changed her mind before we became too attached to the baby but the fact that those involved who had initially welcomed our help made us look like we rushed everything and took the baby without the mother’s consent, was totally unnecessary.

I know all these are just excuses to justify whatever mistake they must have made before they came to this current decision but it is totally unfair to us. It is not easy to agree to something like this. I never asked for any acknowledgement on our part but we were never prepared to be treated this way after all that has happened.

This has seriously taught us a priceless lesson in life. For me, as I’ve told the one, I would like for him to restrain me everytime I get too emotionally involved in one’s problems when they come to me for help. Hey, I am a passionate woman, and that is how I live my life but this was a big slap in my face and I totally regret getting my family involved in it.

I know, as some said to me that this is a blessing in disguise… yes, I am very sure of that. But this was totally avoidable in the first place, if I hadn’t opened my mouth to volunteer. The fact that we we’re supposed to be the good guys suddenly left us as mean, inconsiderate people to the family, was totally uncalled for. So, I ask you, why do these people do what they do? Why is it that such good intentions is easily forgotten and taken lightly? Why do people conveniently blame those offering the solution they initially wanted and turn everything around into their drama?

You all know how it is when I get super protective of my family… there goes my mother cat mode with the fangs and claws and all… I detest the way it turned out in the end because I believed that things could have been handled in a more civilised way – where the mom could tell us truthfully right from the start of her change of heart, and her family could just take the baby away from us, apologise for whatever mess and we would have understood. After all, we didn’t go looking for a baby to adopt in the first place. It came to us.

This has seriously changed the way we look at life now. I know I have always told myself to not get involved in people’s issues that easily. But if you were in my shoes then, at the time when there were tears all around and looking at the subject’s photo, you would have at least felt for the baby.

Still, as the one told me, it isn’t even ours to begin with and that we shouldn’t really care. But this is the baby that will live to the day to even become friends with little jj in the future and I cringe to note how easy adults make decisions for a life who doesn’t even understand what's going on around her.

Ya ya… I keep hearing the voice at the back of my head saying this is none of my business. So, I am keeping it that way. Now that the baby’s back with her family, we would all need to pick up where we left and move on.

With what’s happened, I started to fully realise how much more important it is to take care of my own family. How much my family means so much to me and how I may have forgotten about what some other member of the family would have felt with the sacrifices that he/she needed to make, to accommodate to my desire to help another life. It isn’t right and we all need to be selfish the way others are selfish in their intentions.

We are glad that this episode is over and done with, with a deep scar in our hearts. I only hope that the baby is raised well to be a positive character in our society. But yeah, there goes that voice again, it is none of my business and wasn't mine in the first place.

In preparation for a new member...

Friends in facebook are aware of my search for a new stroller.

See, getting a new baby and considering the fact that I'd be taking care of 2 babies without help made me suggest to the one for us to have a new stroller that could fit 2 of them at one go. I know I've seen mommies who babywear the younger one on them while the much older toddler sits in the stroller but in terms of practicality, I would much prefer both babies to sit on a stroller rather than me having to lug a baby around while tending to another.

Mannn... stroller hunting is not easy here in our country... especially if you're looking for a duo stroller. First of all, there isn't much choice out there in the market compared to those you see abroad... I mean, we went to so many online stores in the UK and US and you'll find so many good brands that are affordably priced.

Over here, the only ones with a duo carrier is from Mothercare and Phils & Teds, while you have those twins stroller from MacLaren and Chicco. I shall not touch those on local brands or other China brands that are cheap and flimsy because I believe in quality and safety after a horrifying experience with my first born when he was 7-8 months old. Note: made in China and China brands are two different points, okay.

Anyways, as usual, once we have something on our minds, we would go ahead with the proper research online and then calling up a few places, and we then went on our hunt to get it over and done with.

*image credit to Kiddicare.com

This was what I wanted - the Graco Quattro Duo. it has individual trays for each passenger but most importantly, it could fit little jj's baby carrier for when the baby is still very small. however, this stroller is unavailable in our country and my enquiries to littlewhiz.com and Babies'R'Us provided me with a negative response :(

First up, right after little jj's class in Kizsports, we went over to all the baby shops in 1Utama. We found a twin stroller in Chicco which was around RM1,300 after discount. It was perfect for newborn to 4 years old kids so it was perfect for both little jj and a newborn, and the handling was pretty good so it was quite alright. The only thing I didn't like was, it was pretty tough to fold and the weight was pretty hefty. I mean... get this - I go out buy my groceries and all, then I would need to get the stuff into the car, get one baby into her car seat and another toddler into her car seat, and they would then have to wait before mommy could start the engine while mommy fold the stroller (kick here kick there for it to fold). By the time I am done, I foresee my babies crying out, feeling the heat from the car park, etc. The price was very reasonable though, and I said to the one that Chicco would be our last choice.

*image credit to Chicco

pretty, affordably priced but heavy and doesn't fold easily.

Another outlet in 1Utama that I always liked to drop by every now and then, is Mom's Care, nearby MPH. They have a huge variety of baby stuff in many good brands. Over there, we discovered the twin MacLaren. The price was slightly more than Chicco but within our budget, the handling was so easy, the material was of a better and more comfortable quality and it was much lighter than the first one we saw. However, despite it having all these positive qualities, I still didn't like how it folded and we were still contemplating on 2 things:

1. the twin stroller will make it tough for me to maneuver in many areas because majority of shops do not have alleys large enough to accommodate a twin stroller; and

2. we were still considering getting a new stroller for little jj so that the baby can use her current Graco travel system.

*image credit to Mothercare

lightweight, perfect for newborns but difficult to fold.

Both points each have their own positive outcome - the first point would make it easier for me to handle both kids at one time while the latter, would eliminate wastage as the current stroller can still be used especially that Graco is a good brand (and still in very good condition) plus the fact that when little jj grows up, we would only be using one stroller VS an empty space in the twin stroller. And, the latter would allow either one of us to take the babies separately either to the changing room or wherever else when need be.

Of course, I would still like to discover my options fully before getting one. So, off we went to Mothercare in Bangsar Shopping Center. For those of you who are not aware, BSC has the largest Mothercare outlet and I went crazy at their ELC area after the renovations at BSC was completed. I think so far, it must be the best baby outlet in this country.

There, in Mothercare BSC, I finally got to see Phils & Teds, which suits my requirements perfectly but with a deep hole in the pocket. Strange though, that we would just grab a designer handbag of a higher price without much guilt but would think long and hard for a stroller that cost RM3k plus ;P

*image credit to Kiddicare

gorgeous, comes in many colours but quite expensive here and complicated to fold.

The Phils & Teds duo strollers were absolutely gorgeous! They have huge tires which makes handling so efficient and they are absolutely light in weight. The folding was a little too complicated though, even for the sales assistant, and we didn't bother to consider it. I mean, if a trained sales assistant finds it hard to fold it, let alone a busy mommy who has her hands full.

So, Phils & Teds were definitely off the list despite it having all the points I need. Damn... it was so perfect...

We also discovered a Mothercare duo stroller which I already saw on their website. It is only slightly more than RM1k and has all the requirements I need too, except that it is much longer than P&T. The handling was pretty easy as well. It has its individual trays and cup holders and collapses very easily... just one turn of the handle and it folds down instantly. One step and boom. Perfect. There is no need to kick one lever and kick another lever and pull this and pull that and put them together (like that song, 'Hokey Pokey'). The only downside, is its weight after it is folded. I cannot possibly lug it into the boot of our car. It is waay too heavy. *urrgghhh*

*image credit to Mothercare

the photo doesn't do justice. personally, the design was ok, collapses like a charm but heavy.

Therefore, we then decided to stick to our 2nd option - for little jj to get a new stroller.

We were worried that she wouldn't like a new stroller because she's such a routine toddler. She likes familiarity and may not welcome something new.

I saw a single stroller from Combi which looked perfect... it 'spoke' to me and I fell in love instantly. It was damn light and just pretty for little jj. However, with one more stroller in our car boot, we know that we have to get one that folds like an umbrella to save space. The one even mentioned of one that he saw, that folds like a golf bag and he could carry it on his shoulder.

So, adding another hour to our stroller hunting in Mothercare BSC, we discovered one from MacLaren. It was only RM600+ and could fold like an umbrella, exactly like what the one mentioned. The only thing was, it doesn't have a front tray, which many parents say one of the reasons for their much older toddler's disinterest in sitting on strollers... without a tray, I know little jj would not have that 'security' of being locked in, especially where she uses the tray as a table for her to put both feet up at times hehe. And, she could rest her favourite books on the tray.

But as life has it, one cannot have it all, right? We let her try out the MacLaren, she hated it at first but as soon as the one strapped her nicely, she actually let daddy push her around the shop.

little jj, trying the stroller out with much resistance initially...

So, we asked for a nice raspberry colour which they have one, asked them to take it out of the box and everything else, put her inside and walah.... the princess fell asleep. Soundly.

what's perfect in my eyes may not be perfect in hers... but this picture is absolutely perfect :)

So yes, we found the 'perfect' stroller. And despite moi wanting a stroller that can fit both babies, I guess this choice is more practical. However, I may not be able to go out that freely without being accompanied by another adult... I mean, I can't possibly push two strollers, right... so................ there goes my freedom. But what is life without those small sacrifices, right?

And there goes our adventure :)

Why people do what they do.

I've seen another child going in little jj's play class accompanied by a maid.

I dunno... seriously, what's the main objective for a parent to register their little babies to an early development class? For them to be independent? For them to acquire new skills? To stimulate their minds? All of the above?

But if a parent cannot put aside one hour quality time on a weekend that they've committed for the benefit of their own child, then I don't quite see the necessity of it since the child would just sit with the maid the way she's always comfortable with at home (possibly)... and the maid doesn't say a single thing because she either doesn't understand what's the reason for doing certain activities or because she's required to just keep silent since her voice is not counted for anyways.

Anyone would want a child, I guess. And it sounds better when telling people that their child is sent to an early development learning center. But you can't have it all, want it all yet not willing to sacrifice that small window. In the end, the result is similar to when the child first started the class... sit, stare and stay comfortable because the child simply refuse to participate and the maid is not able to do anything.

I guess we all want everything in life but at what expense? One simply need to prioritise. After all, having a child is never easy. No one ever said it was easy. You've been away most part of the week... what's an hour or two during the weekend class where the child could absorb skills and stimulation the most when you're around. If that's so difficult and your needs and popularity come first, then the end result lies in your hands.

Curious Kids Need To Be Tough Inside

supposedly written by Jada Kyra

Mommy has been busy with work. So, before the deadline's up, let me write this entry on how mommy help increase my immune system so that I can continue to be curious with the entire world... after all, I am only 17 months old and I still have a lot to discover! :)

Curious kids can be a handful... and who would know this better than I do - I am curious all the time! I would peek into abang's lunch plate as I would always see Mickey Mouse in it; I would want to touch the vacuum cleaner when daddy is handling it because I am always intrigued by the loud sound it makes; I would want to taste everything adults eat because my food always tastes quite the same; I would check in mommy constantly in the kitchen because I find it hard to understand what she does in there; I like to shake any water bottles because it is amazing seeing and hearing water being shaken; I would want to touch everything mommy or daddy touches because I want to feel the difference in the texture; and the list goes on and on... Sometimes, I pity my mom because I would catch her by surprise with my speedy actions but I am just a curious baby... and curious babies need to be tough inside.

Being curious is a good thing because that is how I learn about things... I learn how painful it is if I do not get up slowly from under the table because I can accidentally knock my head; I know better not to touch those shiny pots on the stove because they feel hot to the touch and I can get hurt if I touch them; I know that if I do not get out of the elevator quickly, the doors will close and I'll be trapped; I know that if I press that switch outside our door, the bell will ring; and I know that the vacuum cleaner is dirty because mommy would always clean my hands after I touched it.

But how does mommy and my family really help boost my immune system?

First and foremost, what can really toughen me up is the fact that mommy really feeds me well. She works hard to prepare nutritious home-cooked meals for me and I liked that this enables her to pick only the freshest ingredients, and prepare it in the cleanest environment possible - all in the comfort of her favourite kitchen. The lack of preservatives and only natural ingredients, coupled with yummy nutritious milk, help strengthen my antibodies in fighting viruses that would usually infect cute babies like me.

What a lot of people do not consider which I deem highly important apart from nutrition, is LOVE. I am fortunate to be loved by everyone around me. Mommy loves me dearly, daddy would do anything for me and abang has waited so long for my arrival. I am raised in a happy family and this feeling makes me feel good about myself. When I feel good, my immune system gets stronger. When there is so much love, the environment makes everything so positive and I can face the world, while I continue being curious as I know my family will try to make my experience pleasant and away from harm.

Next, adults are aware that exercise keep sickness at bay. For me, I need my play sessions. I love to play. Playing makes me happy, playing makes me discover new things and by playing, I get to hear myself talk and laugh, while making everyone else happy when they see how adorable I look from me talking gibberish language. The play sessions can hinder me from going after things that can harm me as I get to focus on beautiful colours and toys suitable for babies my age. Within this controlled environment, not only will I be able to learn new things quickly, my antibodies are also strengthened as I feel happy from the sense of achievements I get in the play sessions.

Next, is another point that is pretty broad and quite important for a growing baby like me. I need to be happy at all times. When I am happy, I make everyone else happy!

Mommy always ensure that I am happy in her care. The things that she does and the environment I am in, I must be one of the happiest babies on earth (even though I can be a pain sometimes hehe). Well, they did call me a pwincesh. Therefore, I am entitled to making things a little difficult for mommy and daddy so that I could see how much they love me. Happiness is such a powerful feeling because it makes everything feels good while my inner being becomes stronger.

Then, there is that proper rest. Being a curious baby is tiring work! I would want to walk here and there, climb up and down and learn up new tricks. I always need proper sleep so that my body is able to rest so that my mind is fresh to get curiosity working well again :) Mommy and daddy always ensured that I take my afternoon naps and during night time, my bed and room is made up so cozily to help me sleep longer and better. I also like that I have friends to keep me company while I sleep so that I feel safe and secure. When I wake up fresh, I feel good, my body feels good and my antibodies remain tough.

Once I am up and fresh, it is good to let me continue to explore. From there, I would learn from the adults what I can and cannot do. I will learn to refrain from touching dangerous stuff when I hear the word, "No", and have fun exploring other harmless experiences. I gain self-confidence, I am not afraid to face the outside world and I do not get awkward when introduced to new things. Exploring my curiosities can help expand my vision and keep me happy. And you all know that when I am happy, my body responds better to fighting illnesses. This is also why I am helping mommy to do up this blog entry... I know that the Nuffnang Friso Family day out at Kizsports 1Utama will allow me to explore more new things. So far, mommy has done a great job in nurturing positive traits in me but getting an invite to this event can help her learn more new tricks to keep me happy. And you all know my capabilities when I am happy :D

Just because I am a baby, that doesn't mean I don't need any mental stimulation. Mommy and daddy read to me, and teach me to read as well. Right now, I may only be interested to see those colourful pictures and illustrations in the children's books but I know I will read soon. Mommy and daddy would also place me in the shopping cartwheel while they continue to add items in the cart. From there, I get to see the items mommy use at home and familiarise myself with them. Who knows... I may even be calculating in my head the number of items! Mommy also let me play with the rubic's cube. Who knows... I can probably solve it in due time haha... All these keep me occupied while my curious apetite is further fulfilled. When I become smarter, my antibodies get smarter too. And I become a tougher baby when I am smarter.

Mommy also ensure I get my healthy dose on social interaction abilities. My curious mind need to include other babies as well, so that my learning experience become more complete. From here, I will learn basic communications skills and practise good habits so that friends will not run away from me. I also need friends who can help me to fight illnesses together, no? Can we combine antibodies? Oh, mommy said, "No". Well, I do not really know how antibodies really work but I do know that when I am with friends, I become active, I learn things better due to the encouragement I get from them, and this keeps me happy. And you all know how much stronger I get to be when I am happy :)

And while I satisfy my thirst to learn and try out new things, mommy never forget to teach me discipline. It is never too early to teach a baby like me, discipline... that includes putting me in my high chair during meals, strapping me in my very own car seat before we go anywhere and if I am extra naughty, I would walk over to the corner to reflect on what I did that made mommy upset. The discipline can help build character and prevent unnecessary incidents. I will know when I can explore my curiosities and when I should sit still while I enjoy the view from my eyes. Therefore, my body gets stronger and my immune system is ready to withstand illnesses.

Other than those listed above, there are so much more that can be done but as a baby, these are the only things that I can remember for now. If you extend an invitation to my family, to the Nuffnang Friso Family day out, I can even reveal other details on how mommy helps me increase my immunity. For now, I would like to satisfy my curiosity in a book abang is supposed to read to me. Bye bye!

A WAHM's Work-in-progress: Go Back To Work or Remain At Home?

I have tonnes of work right now and my mind is not totally in a good state due to many developments. But since little jj is finally asleep, I thought I should type out what's been bugging me.

Choices in life is so tough to make. You choose one path, stick to your guns and then realise that other opportunities arise and that you should grab it because it may not come again that soon or easily. Then, things happen and you make one decision which you realised in time it may not be the right choice because things are always changing in life and one must be able to adapt to changes in order to constantly improve and not be rigid or too complacent.

I recalled the time after our PM tabled the 2010 budget in parliament. Days after that, comments were aired and one came from a personality regarding a suggested pay hike for women as more and more of us have decided to leave the workforce due to the challenges and change of focus after having a family. Somehow, I feel that it is such a lame suggestion from a man, not well thought of and only to address one part of a problem… typical in most political environments.

I feel that no matter how much you’re offering to a woman, her family [usually] would come first. I am not saying that women who work are not family-oriented… we always have our own reasons to why we work or resort to being a housewife – those choices are made after weighing all options. I know that before I decided to stay home, I could never imagine surviving this far as I calculated how much I’d need to stay sane and normal. And that if I hadn’t made that jump, I would never see things the way I see now. Therefore, I am talking about some of us who stay home or work from home while taking care of a baby on our own and sometimes wondering what it’d be like to go back to work.

An opportunity arose with a promising factor but things will also present their ways to force you into taking a stand for the choices you make. And coming back to the point of a pay-hike to career-minded women with a family, will not promise anything for some who’s been taking care of their children on their own and loves doing stuff for their family.

I would like to be able to be there for my kids when they get sick. I’ve been told by so many friends that their inability to obtain extended leave for their sick children only allow them to take one to three days leave at one go, to tend to their sick kids. For those who could only take one day off, they would usually just send their sick kids to the nursery fully aware that their children are not fully recovered and risk infecting other healthy kids at the nursery. In the end, everyone gets sick over and over again.

I was working when I had my first child and since I was staying with my parents then, that part of responsibility never really hit me that hard as my father would always encourage me to go to work while my mom or him took care of my eldest. I could still go for my work trips and come home late every time, from that demanding requirement of being in the advertising industry.

But now that I’ve taken care of little jj on my own for more than a year and how much I've kinda had it with office politics, her well-being posed a question that even I had surprised myself… what I could do before, I couldn’t repeat today. Seeing how well she sleeps at the comfort of a clean and healthy home environment where there is only mommy and abang in the morning, I know she will have her much needed, uninterrupted, rest while mommy’s stress is only on the deadlines of any current work pending on this table.

I do not need to constantly check-in to what’s happening at the office and I do not have anyone calling me to ask about things that any of them can find on their own at work.

There are plenty of sacrifices as a WAHM or SAHM. The income you obtain is the result of your efforts – you tend to earn more when you work harder (or smarter) although my line of work is well known for late payments. You’ve gotta forgo some needs that are not that important and there was one month where I would just sit quietly at home so that I could stretch whatever’s left in my bank account a little longer. But you know with babies/kids, they are adaptable… the usual shopping mall visits became outdoorsy trips or visits to her grandparents for her evening walks. She was ok with it, really. As long as mommy was at her side and she gets her usual dose of boobies.

I read of some status on facebook regarding this issue – some would go down hard on their babysitter or maids while some, full of guilt for having to work. Since I do not like to judge people, I would say that whatever a mommy choose to do, is for what she thinks is best for her family. So, we all adapt to what we think is more important. But one must realise that you simply cannot have it all in life… some want to work part time yet have the best baby-sitter in the world. Some of us mommies might not be the best baby-sitter though, and so we address our needs differently. Like me, I think I am happier taking care of my baby but I might not be totally excited in other areas. Whatever we can compromise on what we truly prioritise shall then overcome whatever we are not happy about because to me, little jj is well take care of, InsyaAllah safer in my care, and that immense satisfaction I get when she starts talking and picking up words she hears from us in the family. You can’t have it all. You simply cannot be that greedy. Life is not like that. There would always be some void somewhere, I’m sure, in whatever the situation. One must simply make the best of what one already have.

And I am not talking about being complacent either. I know that some would say we shouldn’t be satisfied with what we have and should always reach out for the stars. Yes…. You can do that. My point is, when you are reaching for the stars, you may compromise some other areas that need your equal attention. You cannot have it all at one go just like no one individual is perfect. There would always be some flaws somewhere, hidden or visible. Be grateful for what you already own and don't let go in hopes of grabbing something else in that small grasp, unless what you're holding isn't that important anymore.

On Monday, I met up with a friend who came back for a short break from Sydney and she told me that she took a year’s leave from work. What was supposedly a 6-month plan turned to an extended 6 more months. So, I told her that the longer she takes to go back to work, the longer it will be for her to want to go back to work. For us used-to-be-career-minded-women, money shall always be ‘some’ concern as we were so used to having a good monthly income where it covers repeated shopping sprees in any seasons without getting any approval from our other half. Now, as much as you can spend as you would before, there would always be that concern of saving for rainy days, spending wisely and the needs VS the wants. Both ways, working or not, those traits are just as empowering, depending how you want to look at it – having money is power or that having this sense of self-control is power to you. Take what’s positive and make that work for you.

We will forever have needs… money will never be enough no matter how much you make but what is it that you really want out of life and out of your family? There’s always a solution to everything and in anything you choose, there’ll be pros and cons. Always. Nothing is complicated unless we make them seem complicated. If we’re not happy about our situation, stop complaining and start taking actions. But stick to the choices you make and don’t blame others if things doesn’t turn out the way you expected.

I thought I was ready to go back to work. Signs were there and a good opportunity arrived at my doorstep. But I only saw that one opportunity in one area… there are other opportunities as well in other areas. So, what’ll it be? Consistent amount of dough at the end of the month every month while compromising time for the family, or inconsistent (but manageable) income with flexi hours and plenty of time spent with my little angel? Both shall make me happy... but only on one part of my self-satisfaction. Which is more important? The answer suddenly became very obvious to me.

Wait… I have always had that answer written in front of me. And it was really up to me to see it.

P/S: Come to think of it, I do have a friend who seems to have it all - a great family, money, power, reputation and everything else. But she still says she envies my life and want to be me - something I totally do not comprehend til now. So, tip of the day for WAHMs or SAHMs who need motivation - stop looking at others' lifestyles and start looking at your own ;)

i shall not stop writing.

All About Jada Kyra at 23 months

I So Need A Break!

It's tough being a mom, yet tougher as a good mom.

The blog title is an affirmation.

What Kind Of Food Do You Give A Sick Toddler?

Timid Mouse No More...

No, I am not pregnant.

In preparation for a new member...

Why people do what they do.

Curious Kids Need To Be Tough Inside

A WAHM's Work-in-progress: Go Back To Work or Remain At Home?

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