Wednesday 25 November 2009

Things that change when you have a baby



Yes. I am guilty for subscribing to
Babycentre.com. I’m guilty for finding their articles interesting and informative especially for the ‘blur’ new parents like Izza and I. I also realized that since the arrival of Umayr, I’ve posted a lot of entries about him, babies or some what babies/family related. If all that in many ways bore you to death, I would like to apologise for that also. A trip to TMZ or Mangga Online might cheer you up.

Also baby related, today I received this article -‘42 things that change when you have a baby’ from babycenter.com. From the 42, I’ve chosen the top 10 changes that I can relate to.

3. The sacrifices you thought you made to have a child no longer seem like sacrifices.

5. You respect your parents and love them in a new way.

6. You find that your baby's pain feels much worse than your own.

10. You think of someone else 234,836,178,976 times a day.

13. You look at your baby in the mirror instead of yourself.

And from our readers...

4. "You'd rather buy a plastic tricycle than those shoes that you've been dying to have." — Sophie's mom

11. "You give parents with a screaming child an 'I-know-the-feeling' look instead of a 'Can't-they-shut-him-up?' one." — Jaidyn's mom

13. "You take the time for one more hug and kiss even if it means you'll be late." — Tracey

16. You find yourself wanting to make this world a better place. — Arizona
27. You can have the most wonderful conversation using only vowel sounds like "ahhh" and "oooo." — littlehulk2008



And here I added my personal 5:

1. Nowadays I’m paying more attention to baby products TV adverts.

2. Umayr doesn’t poop regularly. And that worries me. Everyday, I would ask Izza if he’d pooped ke tidak and when he does, Izza pulak will excitedly text me! Hooray for poopies!

3. Unlike before, Izza and I hardly do things together. Dinner, solat, bath..We have to take turn doing our stuff and attending to Umayr. Even driving nowadays is boring because the co-driver is seating at the back

4. Always on time to slot out my badge card. A happier feeling when driving back home.

5. My belly seems to be happier as well. Hmmmm :(

Tuesday 24 November 2009

Bila cuti sekolah



1. Tiang-tiang di jalan akan dipenuhi dengan bunga manggar, manila kad yang tertulis contohnya ‘abu & dayang’ , dalam keadaan basah (sebab musim hujan), photographer dan mak andam dapat bonus, caterer pun sibuk, graphic designers pun sibuk , dewan dan khemah fully booked dan erm..tok kadi pun resah bila tibanya hujung minggu. 9-10 bulan kemudian, mak bidan dan JPN pula kan sibuk!! Haha

2. Shopping complex pun sibuk. Panggung wayang pun berusahalah menayangkan cerita yang hebat-hebat. Food court penuhlah sedikit berbanding hari-hari lain. Game arcade pula penuh dengan

3. hospital pun ala-ala penuh. Car accident, lemas di laut, sungai, tasik, denggi. Taun, dan barisan anak ‘jantan’ berusia 12 tahun.

4. Hotel dan syarikat penerbangan pula mengambil kesempatan menaikkan harga. Penuh pula Facebook dan friendster dengan gambar-gambar percutian.


Apa-apa hal pun, tidak kiralah penggunaan ke arah kebaikkan atau sebaliknya, yang pasti, duit dan harta golongan ibubapa pastikan terkikis. Majlis kahwin, duit belanja anak-anak yang nak pergi melepak, bil hospital dan percutian serta hadiah anak-anak yang cemerlang dalam peperiksaan akhir. Di kala ini juga, perbelanjaan untuk anak masuk ke sekolah pada tahun depannya juga perlu diambil kira. Baju, seluar, beg, pensel semua nak kena baru!

Moralnya anak-anak sekalian, selalulah beringat akan betapa susahnya ibu dan bapa anda mencari dan mengumpul duit demi kesenangan dan kebahagian hidup anda. Tiada nilai dalam bentuk apa pun dalam dunia ni yang mampu membalas segala pengorbanan yang telah mereka buat untuk kita melainkan dengan balasan kasih sayang dan doa anak-anak sahaja.

Dari Ibnu Mas’ud r.a bahawa seorang lelaki bertanya kepada Rasulullah s.a.w, :”Manakah amal yang lebih utama?” Beliau menjawab,:”Sembahyang dalam waktunya, berbakti kepada ibu bapa dan berjuang di jalan Allah.”

(Bukhari)

Friday 20 November 2009

Organization Chart

via Email

TRUE...true... hahah!


Tuesday 17 November 2009

Umayr is 2! (months)



1. Today Umayr is 2 months old!! Umayr dah mula pandai buat-buat bunyi mulut, mengarah orang dengan tangisan (especially bila minta didukung), menangis sesungguh-sungguhnya bila nak susu dan memberi senyuman yang tak sengaja. Today is also his second day with Makcik Bada (the babysitter) and he will be getting his second immunisation jab later tonight. On the 365 Umayr project, Alhamdulillah I still managed to update it daily despite his 2 weeks trip in KL. Check out his daily “transition” here:
http://umayrsharel.blogspot.com/

2. This week alone, I had two ‘I should have helped..’ moment.

First, motorcycle accident, the rider was still lying on the road and I didn’t stop and help him. Actually what bothers me so much was, the night before, after watching an episode of ‘Caught in the Act’ on AXN where they showed a clip of how ignorance can people be when it comes to a ‘hit and run’ situation. I dengan poyonya vowed to help if I faced with such condition. Kebetulan jadi pulak! and I froze. Terkedu bila real accident terjadi depan kita. Tuhan je tahu betapa menyesalnya aku rasa semasa drive ke kerja lepas tu.

Secondly, pagi tadi, also while I’m on the way to work, nampaklah si bapa ni tengah sorong motor dia bersama dua anaknya yang lengkap beruniform sekolah rendah. Aku boleh bagi senyuman je kat bapa dia. Berapa saat lepas tu baru terfikir, “laaa kenapa aku tak offer tolong hantarkan anak dia ke sekolah je?”..and again, sepanjang perjalanan ke office tu, rasa menyesal tak sudah!

The feeling is like rejecting a pot full of gold. Bonus yang dah ada depan mata, kita main buang je. Imagine, betapa besarnya pahala kalau kita boleh tolong orang? Kalau tak fikir pasal pahala dosa pun, just imagine kenikmatan perasaan di hati bila kita berjaya menolong orang?? Ruginya.What if this kind of situation happens to you? For instance, we just met with an accident yang parah gila.. of course kita nak orang tolong kita kan?! I believe in ‘ Do Unto Others as You Would Have Them Do Unto You’. Kebaikkan dibalas dengan kebaikkan..kejahatan dibalas dengan kejahatan..ignorance dibalas dengan ignorance.

Thursday 12 November 2009

Circle of Life


http://science.kukuchew.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/05/explosm-evolution-t-shirt.jpg


Setiap kali aku melayan anakku, mesti aku akan teringat akan arwah atuk ku. Sedikit pengenalan mengenai atuk setakat yang aku ingat dan kenal. Hj. Sulaiman Bin Ismail. Lebih dikenali dengan nama Cikgu Sulaiman. Merupakan salah seorang ahli Force 136 (kalau tak silap gambarnya ada dalam buku sejarah tingkatan 3). Daripada cerita-cerita yang aku dengar daripada keluarga dan orang-orang kampung, arwah atuk ni seorang yang berani dan tegas. Kisah dikepung tentera Jepun, menyelamatkan Sultan Pahang, berjuang bersama Tun Razak dan macam-macam lagi cerita-cerita zaman muda beliau yang hebat diceritakan kepada ku.

Namun yang sedihnya, aku hanya mampu meningati Atuk di kala hidupnya yang sedang kesakitan. Atuk yang ku kenali bukan Atuk ku yang sebenarnya. Atuk mengidap penyakit dalam bahasa cantiknya, Alzheimer.

Si bijak pandai berkata, Kitaran Hidup (Circle of Life). Penyakit Alzheimer yang Atuk hidapi ini telah mengubah Atuk seperti seorang bayi. Beberapa persamaan yang mampu aku kenal pasti di antara Atuk dan pengalaman bersama Umayr adalah:

1. Kain putih – Lahir dan mati kita di dalam kain yang berwarna sama


2. Lampin – Atuk juga dahulu terpaksa menggunakannya


3. Makan dan minum bersuap – Beberapa bulan terakhir, kami menyuapnya


4. Perlu dimandikan setiap hari – Atuk tidak mampu untuk melakukannya sendiri

5. Perlu dijaga dan diawasi selalu – Takut terjatuh, cedera dan sebagainya


6. Perlu ditukarkan posisi tidur – Untuk mengelak ‘bed sores’


Kadang-kala bila aku melihat Umayr, terdetik persoalan di hati ..”apa pula yang akan terjadi pada aku di kemudian hari?

Wednesday 11 November 2009

Babysitter, Nursery or Maid?

Wife will start working on the 16th. We’ve decided to send Umayr to a babysitter. Honestly, I’m quite hesitant to send him there because first, he is still sooo very young, and secondly, Umayr will be spending most of his ‘active hours’ (which is during the day) with the babysitter and I’m afraid that one day he might prefer to stay with her instead of us. Haha! Paranoid gila kan?.


The other day a friend suggested hiring a maid. Which I thought-also a good idea. So I went around asking friends and suddenly it turned out to be some sort-of a little survey. Below are the findings:


The Pros and Cons



Babysitter

Nursery

Maid

Pros

1

Child gets full attention (if less kids)

Child exposed to other kids (social skill)

No need to do house chores


2

Child exposed to other kids (social skill)

Exposed to 'early education' (if provided by nursery)

Can spend more time with child











Cons

1

Cost $ (extra diaper & milk)

Cost $$ (diaper & milk - fee)

Cost $$$ (agent, extra groceries etc)


2

Child too attached to the nanny

Lack of attention (other kids)

No privacy at home


3

Impromptu leaves (nanny have kenduri)

Bullies (by other kids)

Boyfriend problem


4

Strict pick up time

Strict pick up time

Stealing


5

Still need to do house chores (weeknight-tired)

Sleeping pills

Invite friends/bf to house


6

Child exposed to other kid's sickness

Still need to do house chores (weeknight-tired)

Maid took off


7


Child exposed to other kid's sickness

Maid abuses child


8



Scandal with husband


9





Not much of a Pros feedback. Mostly Cons. Majority says No-No to Maids unless; the child is able to speak (so he/she can report the maid’s misdeeds) or if you have more than two children (financial factor). Many thumbs up to Babysitter and seconded by Nursery.


Whatever it is, my son will be more Kedah than me…Ayoh…mok..tuk wan…tuuuk…


Habislaaaah…

Tuesday 3 November 2009

I alone love you

Before UiTM, I went back to Damansara to hang out with my ex-school mates from SMTSH. One of the "lagha" activities we did back then was jamming at Amir's house and this was one of the few songs we jammed.

WMPlayer suddenly played this song last night. I managed to grab my guitar before Delorean came and zoomed me back to the year 2000..




It's easier not to be wise
And measure these things by your brains
I sank into Eden with you
Alone in the church by and by

I'll read to you here, save your eyes
You'll need them, your boat is at sea
Your anchor is up, you've been swept away

And the greatest of teachers won't hesitate
To leave you there by yourself, chained to fate

I alone love you, I alone tempt you
I alone love you, fear is not the end of this
I alone love you, I alone tempt you
I alone love you

It's easier not to be great
And measure these things by your eyes
We long to be here by his resolve
Alone in the church by and by

To cradle the baby in space
And leave you there by yourself, chained to fate

I alone love you, I alone tempt you
I alone love you, fear is not the end of this
I alone love you, I alone tempt you
I alone love you

I alone love you, I alone tempt you
I alone love you

Oh, now we took it back too far, only love can save us now
All the riddle that you burn, all come runnin' back to you
All these rhythms that you hide, only love can save us now
All the riddle that you burn, yeah, yeah, yeah

I alone love you, I alone tempt you
I alone love you, fear is not the end of this
I alone love you, I alone tempt you
I alone love you

I alone love you, I alone tempt you
I alone love you
I alone love you, I alone tempt you
I alone love you


P/s: finally the longest 2 weeks of my life has come to an end! I will be in KL this weekend to fetch Izza and Umayr! Yeay!