travelling by plane with infants - the essential items to bring

It is easy when you have to travel on your own ...just pack your bags and head to your destination ...if you forget to pack some essential items, you can always (i) buy new one, or (ii) go without it ..but travelling with kids can sometimes be a nightmare ...especially travelling with tiny tots

adik at 4 months

Adik was 4 months old when I had to bring him to KL with us ...for his baptism ..by then he was already 3 months staying with me and my parents ...we were afraid of a lot of things - what if he cries in the plane? what if he is inconsolable? and many more questions ...my friend Elena told me to do a checklist of the things that a baby needs ...she pass me a copy of her checklist (she travels abroad a lot and her kids often travel with her) ...

here's the main item that she said a must when travelling by plane:

#1: birth cert / My card (and baby's clinic car - just in case, especially if it is a long holiday)
#2: formula, bottles etc - airlines do provide hot water for the formula, so it would be easier if you have a few bottles handy. We are ask the stewardess to help heat the bottles
#3: pacifier and comfort blanket (bantal busuk etc)
#4: fav toys or books - anything that you can use to pacify the baby when he/she is cranky
#5: spare clothing/ diapers/ etc - and also a spare cloth for yourself in case the baby puke on you!
#6: wet wipes - one of the best things ever invented!
#7: stroller - dont worry, airlines staffs will store these for you one you are at the door of the plane

What we did was to feed adik with a bottle during take off and another bottle during landing. That helps to ease his ear pressure. Apparently the sucking motion lessen the impact of ear pressure, which is said to be greater during take off and landing. The use of pacifier is also encourage in this case. Our pead, Dr Tan, told us to bring pacifier for adik when she knew we were taking him flying then.

another tip that I often get is that keep the baby up i.e. dont let the baby sleep before the flight ..this will make them tired and, hence, will sleep soundly (fingers crossed) when they are on board ..so far, we have never encounter any problem with adik during our frequent flights KL in his early years ...he is a great baby, he might cried a bit but can be pacified using his toys, or books or by feeding him ...

and my dad is always stressing on the need to use a small bag - so that it can be stored underneath the seat! Reason, it means that you'll have easy access to the items in your bags ...convenient especially if you are travelling alone with the infant. His motto is travel light - only bring the baby's items - you can leave your cloths behind or have them checked in :-)

adik aged 2.5 years - on our trip to KK ..he was reading most of the time!

and now he is turning 4 this sept - but getting to be harder to please during the flight. The recent flight to KL saw him getting impatient when the flight was delayed ...my mum just had to give him his bottle before we even boarded the plane ...thankfully, he did not experience any discomfort to his ear during take off :-

waiting to board the plane at 8.00am @ KLIA

Hand Foot and Mouth Disease: Better Safe than sorry ...

The Hand Foot and Mouth disease has been going on in Sarawak for a couple of months already ...the number of cases has gone up in the recent days ..and in today's Borneo Post, the headline claimed that it has now reached an "outbreak" status ..so, that is not a good news people! Especially those with small kids (up to 10 years old) .. both of my nephews had this HFMD two years ago ...so, I know how  hard it can be on toddlers ..plus there is no specific medication for this, you'll just have to wait till it runs its course (between 1-2 weeks).

So, parents out there, please be extra careful. Don't bring your kids to crowded places ...We have banned the kids from shopping malls, airport, and other public places ...Alistair and Adik have not set foot at the malls for a month now. Throughout the one-week school holiday, Al had to stay indoor ...because our next door neighbour told us that both his kids were having HFMD ...so, as a precaution, both Al and adik had to play indoors for the last two weeks ...The only time they ventured outside was last Saturday night, coz we went for a family dinner to celebrate Jane's birthday and on Friday for adik's clinic visit ....but lucky for us, the both were totally engrossed playing indoor ..and they were not keen to go outside coz of the frequent rains and bad weather ...Thank God for small mercies!

Tips for parents (I read this in the paper today and the leaflets at the clinic):
i) being hygenic - teach the kids to be hygenic ...wash they hands all the time, use soaps or liquid soaps ...parents, who handle the kids must also be hygenic at all times.
ii) avoided crowded places ...and avoid people who had the symptoms ...
iii) dont let your kid go to school if they ae showing symptoms of flu etc ...better to let them stay at home - just to make sure that your kid wont spread it to other kids at school ...
iv) symptoms and images of blisters etc caused by HFMD from my previous entry (click here)


Hope this outbreak will end soon ...Al has already asked us why we never brought him to Giant and to McD ...

Kids and playground

Kids and playground ...what can I say ...they just get along LOL ....when we were in KK, our apartment was on the same level as the playground ....and nobody seems to be there ...so, we sort of conquered the place during our stay there ....we came early in the morning, when the boys were still in their pyjamas ...hahahah ...it was fun! and the boys loved it!

a happy boy trying the slide

adik was hesitant at first ..and after watching Al having a grand time ..he was game to try ...

his first try ...still scared by the looks of it ...but he got the hang of it ...and refused to go back to the apartment

the swing was not that interesting to them ...they sort of just glanced at it and tried it once ...and went back to the swing LOL ...I was MORE interested to use the swing hahahahahaha

but one thing to remember when going to the playground is to make sure that it is safe ...children wont care as long as they are having fun, but as adult we have to take care of that part for them ....check the equipment for faulty and hazardous parts ....and my dad keeps on stressing that I must be there to supervise the kids ...kids should not be left alone at the playground (it's common sense really) ...so, play at will as playground is entertaining for kids ...but be safe!

A trip to the doctor ...for blocked airways!

When I was on my way home from work yesterday, i got a text message from Jane saying that they will be bringing adik to Dr Tan as soon as i get home. Apparently adik's coughing was getting worse ...he had been coughing since the day before, and started to get runny nose and slight fever ...

i also started to feel uncomfortable and experiencing sore throat and difficulties in swallowing and breathing yesterday morning ...and since I was to drive them to the doctor, I might as well get myself checked as well ....so, there we were at the doctor's as soon as the clinic opened at 7pm ...


I went in first ...and as expected, i got problems with my breathing due to asthmatic conditions ...but it was pretty mild ..a was given a neb and my usual medicines...adik was next, after some examination, he was also taken to the room I was in, coz he was ordered to take the neb as well ....it was to clear his (and mine) airways which were obstructed by mucus ...adik was screaming, coz he was scared ...i mean, if i were a baby i would be scared too ...the neb machine eminated a loud hissing noise and the white-ish smoke from the face mask is enough to scare a 3-year old todler ...that 10 minutes were very agonizing for adik, Jane and myself ...there were nothing we can do but to make sure that his mask stayed on ....

Once it was done, adik quickly went to my arms and asked me to carry him out of the room ....and out of the clinic! he did not want to stay a minute longer in the clinic ...hehehehe we just left Jane at the medicine counter and waited in the car ...the poor baby was so scared ....and after his medication, he slept well last night ...

I learnt a few things last night - apparently when a child is coughing, dont let it go untreated for long ....it could lead to other issues ....in adik's case, the build up of mucus is causing him irritation, blocked nose and obstructed airways (hence, difficulties in breathing) ...aku google kan and found this image ...i am imagining my own airways being obstructed by mucus build-up

 source: http://kidshealth.org/parent/infections/lung/bronchiolitis.html

Adik was given antibiotic, and other medication for flu and mucus-related. Apparently, coughing in kids is quite common, but there were different types of cough ....and parents, please note: over the counter (OTC) cough medicines may not be suitable for you toddlers ...always seek doctor's advice before getting the OTC medicines ..even though it may look harmless ...unless you yourself is a doctor, a nurse or a pharmacist!

Fishing ...for kids

I got Al and adik a set of fishing rod, complete with 6 fishes each ...the one with magnet on its tip ...so, it was their favourite for a while, till Al went fishing with Daddy to a real fish pond!

he is excited if he caught something!

one thing about fishing is that it is testing your patience ...the same goes to this fake fishes ...I noticed that Al dont have the patience when his fishes dont get stuck to the magnets ...Adik is even worst, he tried a couple of time and when he failed to get any fish, he gave up and ask dad to do it for him! Perhaps, we can use these kinds of games and toys to teach the kids how to be patience and not giving up :-)

Al also took the fishes and the rod when he went for a shower ...so now, the bath time is getting longer!

Parenting tips: (i) do not let the kids playing alone in the bathroom ..never ever leave them unsupervised
and (ii) choose a toy or game that can teach them something ...that'll be more creative and fun ...kids have lots of imagination!

Al's tornado mood ...

Al is, without a doubt, a very pampered little boy ...he is the eldest grandchild ...my eldest nephew and always treated with love and, dare it say it - overindulgence ...from all of us ...he will be 3 this July ...and nowadays, he is really showing his "strong-will" - but in a rather negative way ...what I mean is that he is always throwing a tantrum when his demands are not met! We (my parents and I) tried to reason with him - and I, myself, are quite worried that this will become his habit ...

he will cry if we do not follow what he says (it is normal, right?) but he will throw things when we say "NO" to his demands ...and the later is getting more frequent now ...anyone has any ideas on how to I deal with this? At the moment, we just ignore him when he is in one of those "tornado" moods ..and to let him cool down on his own ....

Al - crying one morning when I refused to let him go upstairs to watch the DVD (nobody to supervise him upstairs as i was going out to work)

 another sequence shot of him

I know - it is tough being a parent ..or being an appointed surrogate parent like myself - I am not sure what went wrong, and how do I deal with it ...I really really hope that he will be able to reduce his temper tantrums ...but then again, I know, he probably inherits it from any one of us :-)

Al - throwing away the cushions - I cannot remembered what the tantrum was about

child gate

Ever since Airell has becomes more mobile with his newly acquired skills, we were having trouble trying to keep track of his movement. The biggest worry is about his fascination with the stairs ...i came down the stair on morning to see he climbing the stairs steadily, with my dad huffing and puffing trying to catch him ...i am sure you'll understand how worried we are about the stairs and his antics ...

but fear no more ...last sunday, my mum, Al and I went out and bought a child gate! Al helped my dad assembled the child gate - and Al actually didn't like the gate as well....for one thing, it restricts Al's movement as well ...hehehe so, it is a two in one deterrent... hooray .....

and adik's reaction when he first saw the gate was priceless ...hehehe but he tried his best to find ways to get round the child gate ....but to no avail ...

and he even tried to climb it as the last option ...hehehe...

at least we know adik is persistent by nature ...

Anyway, we find the child gate to be really beneficial. It helps to deter the kids from going up and down the stairs unsupervised. The design itself is also very good, and it is designed in such a way that the only moving part is the gate itself and the rest is sturdy. It is also very easy to assemble - no need to drill the wall or anything ...and i love the fact that it is removable ..meaning we can bring it with us when we go to our rural hideaway ...The one I bought is from Anakku ...and it is a bit pricey. But I know there are other brands out there with different (and lower) price tags ...just that I am in Kuching, and I don't have that much choice in terms of shopping outlets :-(

Adik's new shoes

FINALLY!!!! Now that adik is able to walk, he can wear his shoes ....mummy bought him a pair from Riyadh last Dec and he is yet to try it on ...until yesterday ....

It fits, but his movement was a bit akward ..he is not used to it yet ....
 

 and cannot wait to take it off!!!

I am sure he'll get used to it ...like Al is now ...before this Al would seldom remembers to wear his shoes if he wants to go outside, but now, he always takes his shoes first before heading to the backyard ....and will wait till one of us takes it off before he enter the house again ...just need time and training (i suppose).

Feeding & baby's food

A collection of adik's photos ...taken last week when I was babysitting. Now my mum trusted me enough to let me feed adik...whereas before, she wouldn't allow me to feed him, up to the extend that she would only go out after adik is bathed & fed ....

Adik loves porriadge ...not the McD porridge like Al but mum's homecooked porridge ...it is quite tasteless really (I tried it a few times myself!) ...apparently, adik's porridge is without salt ..we were advised by the nurses not to put an salt in adik's porridge ...and I read similar advice in parenting magazines and websites ..it is due to the fact that a baby's system cannot absorb salt properly at their age ..so, parents or care-givers have to resort to other measures to make the plain porridge taste better!

One way is by adding vegetables (like spinach, pumpkins, carrots, broccolli, potatoes) - mashed; blended with the plain rice porridge; or adding an egg (well mixed) or just plain dried anchiovies (ikan bilis garing yang ditumbuk halus). All these are supposed to add flavour to the otherwise plain porridge ...and mum thinks that this would also encourages the baby to eat vegetables! Adik's favourite veges are carrots and spinach ....

But now that Adik is over a year old ...and has a number of teeth, his rice porridge is no longer blended ...but it still needs to be very soft ...so that it is easy to digest...

mess ...mess and more mess @ home

I woke up one morning last week, and this was the scene that greeted me downstair ...

Adik was already up and  busy playing ..and he was playing not with one toy but a whole lot of toys ...his mickey mouse was there ..as well as his singing Barney, the fire engine that can make a really loud noise...his book, and his yellow tractor ..that's just a part of the mess ...he was mad when I put a few things away into the blue laundry basket behind him ..and proceeded to spill everything onto the floor just as quick as I was attempting to clear the mess ...clearly a Catch 22 situation ....

I was told (and I also read it somewhere) that we should encourage baby to play with toys of different shapes, textures and so so ...this is to help their co-ordination and cognition ...i find that since Airell is more mobile - with his crawling, sitting and balancing skills - he is more active ...loves to explore the toys ...but sometime, it gets out of hand! meaning...too messy ...hence: Catch 22 situation ...

Instilling a reading habit

i read in parenting books (yes, i do read something other than my favourite paperbacks!) that a child should be expose to certain habits to encourage their development. One of those activities is reading. Parents are advised to read to their babies and toddlers to encourage language development. And it is also advisable for the youngsters to be exposed to books - especially picture books at the early age - to enhance their vocabulary ...

In our case, we use flashcards to attract Al's and adik's attention. Flashcards are colourful - and convenient to use. Child at that age has very short attention span - so using something colourful can help them memorise. I often use the flashcards to show Al's the household stuffs like car, fan, torch light and so on ...he can catch up better when he saw the flashcard and the actual stuffs ...

We also buy books for the kids. Dad encourages us to buy books for them, in addition to other stuffs, for their birthday and special treats ...tips: choose picture books with colourful pictures, and limited text ...again, depends on the age of the youngster ...i also choose books that is light ...easy for them to hold without having the books fall on their noses!

Nowadays, Al and adik sometimes play ( they can't read yet!)with their books - sometimes first thing that they do in the morning ...and even before they go to bed ...

I think it is important to instil this habit - especially at this age (like Al's) where the toddlers are at the stage where they tend to imitate the adults' activity - might as well teach them that reading is fun!

Dupro (Dumex) - the new look

We were having problems the last few months ..most of the supermarkets that we went to didn't have the big or medium tins of Dupro (Al's milk formula) ...i have a picture of this Dupro Step 2 in my mobile - coz there are so many types of milkpowder in the market and their packaging are, to me, somewhat similar ...i always confused Dupro and Dugro! In fact my dad bought (happily he thought!) a large tin of milkpowder, but he only reliased it was the wrong brand when he reached home ....

In our mind, Dupro Step 2 is a blue-coloured tin, with a elephant picture on it ...so, when i was shopping with Dom and Jane - buying the kids monthly supply - we (or rather Dom) noticed that there is a tin also labelled Dupro Step 2 but in entirely different packaging - it was green! but the other info is the same ...we asked the sales assistant and was told that it was the new packaging! we were doubtful hehehe ...I was still doubtful, until I saw this (pic below) in a supermarket in Samarahan - it is the dupro in the green packaging but also a notice to show what (packaging) it used to be ...then I am convinced!

I think it is important, as parents or guardian, to know when they (the producers baby formula) re-package/re-labelled their product. This is to avoid giving our babies the wrong formula ...or looking high and low for something that has already be re-packaged ...tips for reducing parenting-related stress ,...hehehe

Hand Foot and Mouth - the symptoms

We went to Dr Tan's Clinic last night...Airell was spotting sores on his feet and hands, and as Jane suspected it was the symptoms of Hand Foot and Mouth Desease (HFMD). Poor boy ....

Airell has sensitive skin - up to the extent that he can only uses Eubos cleansing gel for his bath. He's allergic to Johnson & Johnson products! and my GOD, the Eubos brand is so expensive ...anyway, when we saw that he has a few spots on his leg on Saturday, we didn't think much of it ...until yesterday afternoon. Jane saw that spots are turning into sores/ blisters ...and can be seen on the soles of his feet. and a few hours later, the spots started to appear on the palm of his hands ....the doctor confirmed Jane's suspicions...


But thank God, the doctor said that Airell is showing the symptoms of spotting those sores ..and that they are only on his foot and hands ...his mouth was ok last night, and he is still very active, had no fever, and  very vocal! But we can't help being scared, my mum especially, when we heard about this - coz we have a toddler in the house and we all know that HFMD is a contagious desease ...with no particular cure - it  just has to run its course! By the way, we were told that Airell could have got it through contact with a person who has HFMD. Then we remembered the incident in Spring Shopping Mall a week ago when a spotty (and sick) looking toddler came over and touched Airell, and none of us were fast enough to stop him! ...both Jane and I were wondering what made the boy's face spotty at the time! Now we suspected that the boy was the culprit! Plus the doctor said the incubation period of the virus is between 3-7 days ..and that is about the right time frame of the incident!

spots on his feet

the blisters

I googled the HFMD - to look for guidelines, as well as warning signs etc when I got home last night. Apparently it is a common disease affecting infants and children (under 10 years old), and in most cases can recover in 7-10 days. One website explains that, and I quote:

"HFMD is moderately contagious. Infection is spread from person to person by direct contact with nose and throat discharges, saliva, fluid from blisters, or the stool of infected persons. A person is most contagious during the first week of the illness. HFMD is not transmitted to or from pets or other animals"

Another thing to remember about HFMD is that the virus can remain in the body well after the symptoms have gone away - meaning still contagious weeks after the symptoms are gone!

Like i mentioned before, there is no specific medication for HFMD - we were given an antivirus last night - and that is just to stop the virus from spreading further (i think!). However, these are some of the common good hygiene practices that parents and caregiver can apply ..

1. washing hands frequently - especially after changing diapers and so on - and must wash correctly (not just with water!)
2. avoid close contact with persons with HFMD - this includes kissing, hugging etc.
   

Symptoms of HFMD (source: http://www.cdc.gov/ncidod/dvrd/revb/enterovirus/hfmd-qa.htm#1) includes "fever, sores in the mouth, and a skin rash. Often begins with a mild fever, poor appetite, malaise (feeling vaguely unwell), and often a sore throat. One or 2 days after the fever begins, painful sores develop in the mouth. They begin as small red spots that blister and then often become ulcers. The sores are usually located on the tongue, gums, and inside of the cheeks. The skin rash develops over 1 to 2 days, with flat or raised red spots and sometimes with blisters. The skin rash does not itch and is usually on the palms of the hands and soles of the feet. It may also appear on the buttocks or genitalia. A person with HFMD may have only the rash or only the mouth sores".


I hope my dear Airell will get better soon - and in the meantime, we are told not to have any visitors at the house ....preventive measures and all that ...

Babysitting Diary

the very first time that I babysat both Al and Airell on my own for more than 2 hours was last week ...twice in a week! Mum and dad went back to the village - because they wanted to check out their fruit trees (it is the fruit season now). Hey, motherhood is tough - i know that ...but what i did not know was that taking care of two kids are HUGE task ...

9.00 am mum & dad left the house (after the bathing and the feeding and so on)- al cried coz he wanted to go with them ...

9.05 watching BEE Movie - to keep them entertained ..

10.00 both kids wanted their bottles ...and the BEE Movie is still playing (they love this movie!)

10.30 adik fell asleep ( so excited!) but Al was so noisy that it was a long process before adik is fully asleep!

12.30 Al finally decided that he had enough, and he went off like a light ....and i started to mark the assignments ...

1.30 Adik woke up! so, i have to stop my marking ...and entertained adik ..sat him in his walker, and gave him his cute, colourful book ...he was content for about 30 mins! so i was alternating between Channel 613 and the BEE Movie (again!)

4.00 Adik went to sleep again (yipee!!) but by them I was too tired to take any more pics ...and my stomach was really grumbling! Cook an asam laksa maggie ....but before I can eat it, i had visitors coming over! my cousin and the kids were here for a while ...

4.30 Al woke up, and my maggie was still left untouched in the pan! the visitors left at 5.30 ..and i had my maggie then!


5.30 Watching Night at the Museum ...while at the same time giving Al his bath ...

6.30 mum and dad finally arrived! hand over the duties ...and collapsed in front of the telly ...

Note: it is a tiring job ...lots of responsibilities ....making sure the kids are fed, are clean, happy (as in not crying!) and entertained ...but it is kinda FUN ..hehehe very oxymoron, me think! and i fell asleep before 9pm that night!!! Full of exhaustion ...

a little trip and fall ...

Al had a little accident a while back ...i did plan to do a posting on that but completely forgotten about it until i saw this pic in my camera ...yet to be downloaded! and that was a picture from last month ....talk about disorganized ...

anyway, this was the result of his little trip and fall ...he was being extra naughty that day ..climbing, running and shouting ...just like Attilla the Hun in his fav film (Night at the Musuem) ..that night he climbed on my dad leg ..but slipped and fell ...it wasn't that bad coz he fell near a mattress ...but still spot this wonderful bruise on his  forehead ...the red lines are the result of falling on top of our rattan mat ...he was crying, but only for a minute or so ...so, i guess it was not that bad ..plus, incidents like this are normal for kids his age - that's what i am told anyway ....the good thing, the kid is resilient coz he started to do the exact same that cause him to fall right after he finished that milk bottle ...aaaahhh the wonder of being a kid! Bless ...

Potty Training: Trials & Tribulations

My parents decided that Al is old enough to be potty trained. He turns two last July and we think it is about time that we potty train him. We did that - about 4 weeks ago. The first week was a trial - to all of us, and Al included. My poor baby was shocked (i think) coz he seemed terrified everytime he wanted to wee-wee or poo-poo. So, we had quite a few hits and misses ..and mum, dad and myself were on "high alerts" most of the time! After a few days, Al started to figure out what we wanted him to do ..he started to be more comfortable with this new arrangement ....

We expected to have these hits and misses for a few weeks ...but, much to our surprise, the second week went very well ...Al was able to let us know when he wanted to pee and so on ..he would actually waited till we were all ready with all the paraphernalia ...such a good boy! We had very few "misses" in Week 2, This occured mostly when he was taking his afternoon nap...

And last week (Week 3) we also saw a lot of improvements ...he is such a sweet boy, and very quick to grasp what we were trying to teach him ...and this really makes me proud! and his mummy, daddy, mama matun, achi and nenek are all so proud of him! By the way, he still wears disposable diapers at night time - we haven't got that far yet ...

Anyhow, this is the first time I actually involved in potty training ...and now I am sharing some tips (in case I have a reader who is interested :-))

(1) be ready for the hits and misses - especially the first week. A friend suggested we put our carpets away till he is fully trained.
(2) be patient - the kid may be confused with the situation as well, he may need extra time to adjust.
(3) don't scold the kid - i find that Al would cry if he actually "misses" the target, in a way he is ashamed- this was in Week 2 - it shows that he knew what he did was wrong -but he cannot help it. Being nice, and encouraging would help them to adjust....and i think scolding would make it worse for them
(4) praise - always praises him/her for the job well done. We did that ..Al seems happy everytime we told him "good job", "well done", "good boy" ....
(5) teach them to be hygienics - we taught Al to wash his hands and so on after peeing ...and use the sanitiser or wipes after washing his hands ...

I actually dreaded the prospect of having to potty train him, but since he is showing remarkable progress - I am happy that we did that. Now, we are waiting for the next step - to let go of the disposable diapers completely!

P/S there is no picture to accompany this entry ... for obvious reason. I don't want to embarrass my nephew ...

Child-based rehabilitation session

We are quite concern when Airell still cannot sit on his own...he seems to favour the horizontal position more than standing or sitting down. What perplexed us is that he can sit properly or walk really really fast when he is in his walker ... and he is such a fast crawler as well (when the mood suits him!)


and during his appointment at the Mother & Child clinic (for his vaccination) my mum was advised by the nurses to attend a Child-Based Rehabilitation session - so that the therapist can help stimulate Airell's progress and so on ...and last Tuesday (6th Oct) was D-Day ....i took my annual leave so that I can bring Airell to the session myself ...we were quite surprised to see quite a lot of people there that morning - but the two newcomers to the session was Airell and Dewi (a nine month toddler who has a similar "problem" as Airell). The session made me realise how healthy and happy and pampered Airell was ...those who came for the session include a girl suspected of celebral problem, a baby with Down Syndrome, a baby with heart problem ... i cannot imagine how hard their mother's tasks are - coz I often felt that taking care of a baby is such a heavy responsibility ...



Anyway, when it was Airell's turn - he cried his eyes out ...seeking me and my mum ...but we were told by the therapist not to be near him ...so there he was crying and at the same time following the therapist's instruction ..hehehe he is able to sit down!!! Just that his sitting balance is not that steady! and we made one shocking discovery - when the therapist was doing a stimulating exercise to prompt him to stand, from a sitting position, airell automatically stood up!!! Much to my shock ... and to the delights of the nurses and therapist ...


the diagnosis was that: Airell is one year old but his developmental progress is as if he is 6 months old ...and then the shocker: he is too pampered! and therefore, lack the inclination to sit and/or do anything coz he knows we will do all that things for him ....the therapist told me not to obey all his requests ...and we were given 6 weeks to improve before another CBR session in Dec ....but to seek confirmed diagnosis from the peads ...


So, that very afternoon, we went to Stakan Polyclinic coz we were referred there - and from there we were supposed to make appointments for the peads ..thank God, Airell was not cranky when we were there ..he was saying bye-bye to the medical officer, then calling me mama mama ...and the doctor said that she believed that Airell does not have a problem - his progress maybe delayed but nothing much to worry about ...said a kid as active as he is (hahaha only in front of the doctor and nurses - he was jumping on my mum's lap!) should be ok ...so, bottom line: continue with exercises at home, continue with CBR session as scheduled and see the doctor again in late Dec or early Jan 2010 ...phewwww ...

Teething Problems

Airell is not well for the last few days ...in fact we took him to see Dr Tan last Friday morning. His temp shoot up the night before, and that as usual causes us to panic ..and the non-stop sponging, checking for his temperature and paracetemol ...Dr Tan mentioned that the fever might be due to the effects from his recent vaccination (his one-year vaccination on 24th) but he was also showing signs of throat infection...

This morning, I can feel "something" on his top gum - it might be the cause of all this flu, fever, crankiness and lack of appetite .. maybe one of his upper tooth is going to come out soon! By the way, Airell is a year old but so far, he only has two teeth on his lower gum ...Anyway, I was told by Moi Haslina to get the teething gel to ease his pain ...and elena said that every tooth that will come out will bring this feverish, lack of appetite and crankiness again and again and again till all his teeth are out ..huhuhu i feel so sorry for my boy for going through all that!

MomBloggersPlanet Cutest Baby in STROLLER Contest

I had an early morning text from Fendi today ..he told me that there is an online contest for cutest baby in stroller at MomBloggersPlanet...he knew that i would be interested. I have told him and the gang that I would like to join these online contests but always seem to be busy and never manage to catch the dateline ..so, today is different. Here's my posting for my first ever online contest ....and it's about my dear nephew and his stroller! A subject close to my heart ...

Airell Adie Kenneth; D.O.B; 21 Sept 2008
(then aged 8 months old)

I don't have a baby on my own but since November last year, have been responsible for taking care of my little nephew, Airell Adie (date of birth 21 September 2008). He is now one year old and have been with me since he was a few months old. His dad, who is my brother, and his wife are living and working in Kuala Lumpur. So, we are always on the move...visiting his parents and the older sibling in Kuala Lumpur, then going back to Kuching... before another flying visit and short holidays here and there ...

I suddenly find myself in a situation very unfamiliar to me - and learned that taking care of a baby is no easy task. Thank God they have an invention called the STROLLER. I found that I am functioning more effectively when I have a stroller with me ... i am able to bring Airell almost everywhere we went ... It is definitely more convenient for me to have him in a stroller when we are travelling. For example, during our frequent trips to Kuala Lumpur, I can actually bring the stroller up to the door of the airplanes. It is collapsible and light-weight and can be easily stored - even on flights with limited baggage allowance! Even a novice like myself can fold the stroller in one fluid movement - and that makes me look like a pro! hahahaha ...


Airell's stroller, a Sweet Cherry brand, is a gift from a friend of mummy. It was actually a gift for Alistair, who is Airell's older brother, and was handed down to Airell. Brothers sharing stuffs and all that ...anyway, the stroller is very durable and still in good shape till this day. I love the fact that it has multi-functions and adjustable positions. It has safety features, such as safety harness and lockable wheels (for safety during trips on hilly slopes, using escalators and so on). This stroller also has foldable canopy that can protect Airell from the sun or the rain ...


The picture below (Airell's in an orange shirt) shows Airell in a reclining position (the other one was of Airell in a sitting position in MidValley while shopping)- we were waiting at the departure lounge at KLIA at this time ...and having him in a stroller is so much easier than me having to carry him using the baby carrier. He has grown so much that carrying him on my shoulder, despite the aids of the baby carrier, is no longer an option that i consider viable! The stroller has a storage box at the bottom as well as near the handles. These extra spaces are really handy for storing all of Airell's paraphernalia ... by the way, I NEVER realised how much baby stuffs mothers have to carry when traveling until I have my dear darling Airell. These extra storage are also very handy when shopping! I believe many mothers can attest to that! Oh yea, another feature that I love is that this stroller has a removeable play tray, with a cup holder, where Airell (and me!) can put his toys, his milk bottle and snacks ..because it is removable, it is easy to clean!

Airell Adie Kenneth; D.O.B; 21 Sept 2008
(then aged 8 months old)

The STROLLER have certainly made my life and Airell's more manageable and meaningful - and I love the fact that I can bring him anywhere, and include him in most of my everyday routine tasks. We use the STROLLER regularly - for our trips to visit mummy and daddy in Kuala Lumpur, our various shopping trips, strolls around the parks and our neighbourhood, our balik kampung trips as well as for our family holidays.

For those who are interested in this contest, more details are available at MomBloggersPlanet contest page at: http://www.mombloggersplanet.com/1613/cutest-baby-photo-contest-october-09/

The closing date of the contest is 15th October 2009 and the prizes for the contest are courtesy of PhotoBookMalaysia: http://www.photobook.com.my

and AliceWonders : http://www.alicewonders.com