Ephesians 4:29...

~ Posted on Thursday, April 11, 2013 at 7:06 AM ~

You know how disgusting it is to have an individual of the same gender as you saying, suggesting, agreeing and even acknowledging something said about you when they have no idea or never even bother to hear or understand or find out your side of story?

You would think that the person, being a woman, married with husband and kids would understand your point of view, or at least, try to emphatise what you go through... but sadly, that's not the case. I don't want to elaborate further as I think the person reads my blog too but I really do hope she will get the meaning of this post which I meant to direct to her.

James 4:11 (NIV) ~ Brothers and sisters, do not slander one another. Anyone who speaks against a brother or sister[a] or judges them speaks against the law and judges it. When you judge the law, you are not keeping it, but sitting in judgment on it.

So, you... Unless you have ever lived a day of your life as a stay-at-home-mum, never have anymore income, never have to take care of your children 24/7/365 YOURSELF and understand how energy sapping it is, do not open your mouth to even say that I am living my life easy.

Ephesians 4:29 (NIV) ~ Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen.

Leave me and my family alone and focus on yours.

Smart Kids 2013

~ Posted on Wednesday, April 10, 2013 at 7:37 AM ~

Oh boy! Did you know that Malaysia’s biggest and longest running educational kids’ fair is back?!

Just for 3 days, parents and children get to attend this education fair and gather all information with regards to education, health related products and services, creative learning games and toys, basically everything you want to find out as a parent for yourself, your family and your children!

I'm a full-time mummy

"Smart Kids was founded based on the premise that parents needed to have a better avenue of choice in terms of education for their children. It was first conceptualized in year 2002 to provide a platform for parents and children to explore and discover together the latest educational products and services in a edu-fun way that is filled with exciting and innovative activities and programs.

Smart Kids’ mission statement is “to be the premier platform used by parents to introduce the joys of learning to their children, in a manner which utilizes the tools most readily accepted by individual children and tailored to an individual child’s most effective way of learning.” Smart Kids makes available a platform for holistic, whole child learning by gathering together various educational institutions, system providers and learning programmes in an environment conducive to fact finding and consultation."

I'm a full-time mummy

Did you know that one of Smart Kids’ core beliefs is that every child is smart in his or her own way and that their parents’ responsibility is to help them find ways and means beyond the usual, formal education system in which to bring out the best in their kids?

I am very pleased to find out about this as I do strongly believe in letting my child learn at their own pace, when they are ready and more receptive and yes, as a parent, I feel a deep sense of responsibilities to ensure that my children learns what it takes to not just survive the outside world, but to use their brain and logic thinking to chart their own path when they are grown up and ready to face the world.

As a stay-at-home-mother of 2 kiddos (and third one coming in September 2013!), I would personally watch out for educational related products. For those who are not aware, I'm currently teaching my 4 years old boy, nothing heavy yet and we don't have a curriculum to follow, although every weekdays we will have two half hour sessions of learning activities where I get my kiddos to learn how to write numbers, reading books together, coloring, play Lego, play dough and the rest of the day are pretty much playtime, eating, napping, bathing, a little iPad time (on story apps or games) and bonding with grandma and daddy.

I can't say for now how long I intend to teach my kiddos but I would totally be interested to find out more on the different methods of education (such as Montessori) and what are the extra fun and educational activities I can have my kiddos participate in as part of their playtime and also in improving their social skills.

I mean, looking at the list of companies and brands that are participating in this year's fair, I'm all giddy up and excited! I know my boy will be thrilled with Lego, I myself am happy to see this famous brand as one of the exhibitors during the fair and although I have personally never ever touched a single Lego brick before becoming a parent, I do believe now that it is really really useful and educational as well! We have personally witnessed the many Lego creations made by our 4 years old boy and see how it got our boy to be so creative at a tender young age. Amazing! And to think this is just one of the many many brands that will be participating in the education fair!

Now enough about me, we focus back to you and your loved ones! If you have not heard or attend this type of education fair and wondering how can it benefit you, oh well, think of how convenient it is to have all the information you wanted under one same place!

Anything you have been dying to find out, whether it is education program or methods or schools for your little ones, what sort of creative, fun and yet educational toys and games that you can get for your children, what are the latest products in health or finance related areas for yourself, your family and your children?

Imagine all the information all ready for you to go and find out! No need to crack your head to Google and compare the various websites and reviews and feedbacks when you can have a look yourself during the education fair itself. And don't forget the opportunities for you to ask the staff of the companies or brands face to face on the day itself if you are keen to know more!

I believe that if you attend the education fair with your family, you will be able to let your child explore and find out what interests them as well. Now parents, what better way to let your child discover their inner talents and passions while at the same time you get to find out more for yourself and your family and spend the day out as a family?

Of course, there are some contest and activities that your children can take part and have fun during the education fair as well and also some cool giveaways and lucky draws will be held during the education fair as well!

I'm a full-time mummy

Smart Kids 2013 will be held at Putra World Trade Centre, Kuala Lumpur on 19 to 21 April 2013.

A bit more information on the admission details:

* FREE entrance for kids (below 16 years old)
* RM5.00 admission (per adult / day)
* Log on to www.smartkids.com.my to pre-register before 14th April 2013 for Free Admission Pass (per adult)

What are you waiting for? You have less than 2 weeks to register!!

** Disclosure: This is a sponsored post. All thoughts, opinions and words are 100 % my own.
Please do your own research when purchasing products, as your opinions may differ from mine.

Third Pregnancy - Then & Now...

~ Posted on Tuesday, April 9, 2013 at 7:32 AM ~

2 years ago (when I was pregnant with Alyson), I wrote a post about my pregnancy then and now and I'm recycling the contents of that post to include the 3rd pregnancy updates now.. hahah...

The table below is to recap and note down what are the differences between my pregnancy then and now...

Pregnancy in June 2008 - March 2009
Pregnancy in Nov 2010 - Sept 2011...
Pregnancy in Jan 2013 - now...
Working in IT line, constantly in meetings with users & vendors for the new IT system, apart from being in-charge of changing company's website & the legacy IT system
No longer working in IT line, a full-time mummy now catering to the whims & fancies of a 23 months old toddler who is ever so active and playful and cheeky.
A full-time mummy catering to the whims and fanices of a 4 years old boy and a 1.5 years old girl.
What's good then?
* A more fixed eating time, breakfast, lunch & tea time snacks are pretty fixed
* The availability of squatting toilets in the office allows me to practise my squats (which I read in some pregnancy article saying it helps with your contractions)
What's good then?
* Hopefully able to maintain regular eating times (as my schedule  is pretty much determined by Ben)
* No squat toilets in the house so have to make do with squatting as much as possible while playing with Ben, at the same time, ensure safety to ownself as well (as in not to be overly crazy while playing with Ben)
What's good now?
* Ben is fully potty trained before he turned 4 years old, so I've got one worries off my mind...
* Alyson is OK with pooping in a potty and a toilet seat though I have not officially potty trained her, but she does give me quite accurate signals a lot of times!
* Since March 2013, we have adopted a timetable, so eating, learning, playing, entertainment, etc are more fixed and not haphazard as it used to be...
Gone through 3 gynaes:
#1: Female gynae in a private hospital who we think is not capable & caring enough for her patients
#2: Male gynae in a private hospital (but has his own clinic) & who we think is capable & caring but  the charges are pretty steep
#3: Male gynae in a semi private hospital & who we think is capable, caring, soft-spoken & the charges are very low!
We wanted to go back to our gynae #3 but turns out he got promoted to be the dept head for O&G in Miri, Sarawak. So he's no longer in the semi private hospital anymore.

We are keeping our options open for other doctors in the same hospital though our current gynae check-ups are done at a private hospital.
We went back to our gynae in Putrajaya hospital, my first check up was done when baby is 10 weeks old. Next check up will be at 28 weeks pregnancy. Yay!
Complications during 1st trimester:
Do not experience any morning sickness at all

Complications during 2nd trimester:
Weight not going up, got scolded by 2nd gynae to top up food intake. Guzzled full cream milk on daily basis on top of going crazy with McDonalds' and Wendys few times a week.

Complications during 3rd trimester:
Blood pressure touching borderline. Ordered by 3rd gynae to go for alternate days for check ups on blood pressure. On my last gynae visit, was told I had low amniotic fluid and advised to go for induced or to be C-sect in a week's time. Thank God contractions started on the same day & I ended up having natural delivery.
Complications during 1st trimester:
The first 2 weeks, food looks good but when I eat it, it felt like a lump and very difficult to swallow and eat on. Had not been having any appetite when I see fried food.

2 months + now, no problems with any food, nothing that makes me giddy or nausea or anything though I've been regularly eating chicken rice with roasted pork slice.

Complications during 1st trimester:
The 2 months, food looks good but when I see it, I lost my appetite. The only thing that I wanted to eat for the 2 weeks are luncheon meat (I know, not healthy!) and luckily I found a substitute, which is salted chicken, a dish that my dear hubby taught me how to make.

And somehow this round, I bloat up real easily. Just drink a bit of water and I bloat up like I'm 6 mths preggy.

Tiredness was a definite thing this round, maybe because I've got 2 kiddos to handle this time, on top of learning, feeding, caring, blogging (which I've cut down loads of reviews and giveaways since) etc.
Have no idea what to expect in terms of breastfeeding
Breastfeeding? Bah... been there, done that... heck, still doing it!
Breastfeeding? Bah... been there, done that... heck, still doing it for Alyson! Ben weaned off at 45 months old, a happy journey I will always treasure in my heart. But this round, I have no worry about breastfeeding through pregnancy since I have done without any complications.
Have no idea what to expect during labor. In fact, totally forgot all about my breathing exercise!
Images and memories of 1st labor flashed back the moment home pregnancy tested positive...
Oh boy... I do get scared sometimes when I think back of my previous 2 labors...
Contraction 1cm at 12am
Contraction 4cm at 4am
Gave birth at 4.30am
Contraction 1cm at 6am
Contraction 8cm at 12pm
Gave birth at 12.30pm
No idea yet...
Natural delivery using Enthonox and had an episiotomy (4 stitches)
Natural delivery using Enthonox for few seconds and a slight tear due to gynae pulling out baby (4 stitches too)
Hopefully natural again... and no tearing...
Worries about Labor, breastfeeding, babycare
Worries about Labor, breastfeeding during pregnancy, baby care as Ben is around this time...
Not as worried since been there done that...

And just a couple more things to note that I will not be able to do in a few months time:

* Lie down on my front
* Be able to look at my feet (thanks to my hubby who kept telling me to enjoy looking at my feet now!)
* Wear my favorite short pants (no wait... I already can't wear it now!)
* Get up from bed as easily as I can now...

And the things I'm so NOT looking forward to in a few months time:

* Heavy belly
* Cramps on my feet
* Difficulty in breathing as the belly gets bigger
* Heartburn
* Itchiness around belly and/or thighs as belly gets bigger (skins stretching you see...)
* Stretch marks
* Swollen feet
* Clumsiness and being forgetful

Please wish me luck and I really need all the support I can get in making my breastfeeding during pregnancy works! And of course, most important is I have a smooth and safe pregnancy and delivery!

I have also made an extraordinary decision this round, will share when I received the items I ordered. I've already gotten my hubby's approval to do this, so hope to have my family, relatives, friends and you guys supporting me as well!

Thank you for reading, have a good week and God bless you!