From Marie and me

Back in England

It is a week now since Marie and I arrived in England. The temperature has been getting colder by the day but still no snow. This past week it is down memory lane for me as I have been going round looking for the places that I used to work at and lived in. It is sad to see the hospitals that I used to work in are all demolished and gone. These are:
The London Jewish Hospital
The Bromley/Farnborough/Beckenham Maternity Hospital
Queen Charlotte's Maternity Hospital

Surprisingly, all the places that I used to live in are still there albeit slightly different from when I was living there. Will post the photos when I am back in M'sia.
Do we miss Malaysia? The answer is definitely YES!!

There is nothing like being in your own home wherever that may be.
There is nothing like doing your own things at whatever time or day.
The internet connection in Malaysia is faster.
Our hosts feed us very well but we do miss the food in Malaysia especially when out shopping.

All said and done, it is sale, sale, sale everywhere and we are enjoying this aspect of our visit very much. The saddest part is seeing the closing down of Woolworths on Boxing Day. As a matter of fact, not many of the famous big name stores are left as I notice when walking down Oxford and Regent Streets.
Chinatown has not changed much with the same restaurants like Loong Fong and Lee Hau Fook still there. The Chinese supermarkets are still there selling more or less the same things.

We are off to Paris later this morning so will post again when we come back.

Wei Jun and Jeun Yip's progress

Most babies will roll over onto their tummies at about six months but here Wei Jun has made it at 5 months. In fact he can roll over and over across 4 mattresses. A word of caution, if your baby starts rolling over you have to be extra careful when he is on a high surface as the chances of rolling off onto the floor is increased. Pillows and bolsters as a barricade will not stop him falling down.








Hi, I am Jeun Yip and I love playing with my hands








They are making such a big fuss because Wei Jun can turn over onto his tummy







I am sure I can do it too







Ok, here goes…….









Nearly there…..








Oh no, I am not going to make it







Looks like I did’nt make it this time








Oh well, guess I’ll stay with playing with my hands and toes for now.

3 more girls

Finally I have managed to get nice photos of the 3 latest addition to the centre and it is nice to have a few more girls.










Rhyannan











Mirabelle and Marissa are twins.

Weaning baby - the first feed

When it comes to weaning baby onto solid food there are some controversies about when to start and what to give. I would like to share with you the technique that I have used over the years and so far all the children that I have weaned have fantastic appetites and will eat anything as they grow older. This makes it easy for the parents when they want to eat out and there is no fear that the child will not have a balanced diet.

A few pointers to remember:

• Do not start until the baby has completed 4 months of age.
• Do not force the baby to eat if he is not ready.
• The amount given does not replace the milk feed.

I like to start after 4 months instead of 6 months because eating something thicker in consistency and drinking milk requires 2 different actions. I find that the baby learns to coordinate taking food into the mouth, moving it to the back of the mouth and then swallowing it faster than if left to 6 months. Always start with 1 teaspoon baby rice powder mixed with water and stirred to a very fine slightly watery paste.


Wei Jun has completed his 4 months so we will try and see if he likes it.






Aunty Cecilia says that I am eating baby rice today. I wonder what it is all about.






Maybe I don’t have to eat it if I pretend to sleep.









Maybe if I look away?








Oops, guess I better open my mouth cos I can see Aunty Cecilia’s stern face looking at me.







Ok, it’s in my mouth, so what do I do with it?








Oh Aunty Cecilia says to swallow it, but how do I do that?








Ugh oh, it is all dribbling out and she is scooping it back in.








I think I have got it and it is not so bad after all.








Hey!! I am really enjoying this stuff.








Waaah! I want some more.





The video below shows you how to mix the baby rice powder.

Growth and development progress

Beginning this month I will be posting a monthly report on the growth and development progress of 4 new babies in my centre. The objective of these reports are to hopefully show you that each baby will grow and develop at his own pace even though they are given similar stimulation and care. This is a photo of the 4 'mouseketeers'. They are 3 boys and 1 girl. The reason why I added a girl is because it is generally believed that girls develop faster than boys so we shall see if this is true.


















Starting from the right, the babies are:

Wei Jun - born end of July, is 4 months and 1 week old

Jeun Yip – born middle of August is 3 months and 2 weeks old

Gavin – born end of August is 3 months and 1 week old

Renee – born middle of September is 2 months and 2 weeks old


The videos below are to see how each baby tries controlling their heads.


Wei Jun



Jeun Yip



Gavin





Hi, I am Renee and Aunty Cecilia says it is boring watching all the boys lifting their heads so I will show what I can do.





See? I can hold my head quite well without support.

Welcome and goodbye

Lately I have been having a lot of boys to my centre so it is nice to welcome a little princess to the 'family'




Renee











Unfortunately we have to say goodbye to




Julia who is moving to Australia









Sze Wei who has graduated from the centre and going to preschool

What a 7 month old baby can do

By six to eight months, if you position a baby properly in the sitting position he can remain sitting for a short period without falling over. He does this by using his hands to balance his upper body. Initially he uses both hands to balance himself, then he uses one hand and eventually he will be able to sit without having to balance himself. Once he discovers what the world looks like from this vantage point, he will ‘demand’ to be put in this position every time he is awake.
Here are some photos of Jeremy demonstrating the technique.






Hello, I can sit without falling over.











I think I need to hold on to something so I don’t fall over










There, aren’t I a clever boy?












Let’s try the hands free stuff.











Oops!! Nearly fell over











Hmmm, I wonder what those pinky things are.

Ju Lia's achievement, our new 'super models' and Sze Wei is 2 years old

Ju Lia having her first taste of solid food
"I love this cereal"




Welcome to our new 'models'








Jeun Yip












Wei Jun










Aidan










Gavin












Happy 2nd birthday to Sze Wei






Hi! I am the birthday girl









My friends here are so slow in singing happy birthday to me







My mummy is here to help me cut the cake

I want to hold your hands

Friendship can start at an early age as Ju Lia and Jeremy demonstrates.








This is Ju Lia and Jeremy






Jeremy: “shall we hold hands Julia?”






Ju Lia: “oh, ok then”







Yea!! We are friends now

9 crucial tips for an attempted abduction

This is for you and everyone you know. Everyone should take 5 minutes to read this. It may save your life or a loved one's life. Because of recent abductions in daylight hours, it is important to know what to do in an emergency situation...

1. Tip from Tae Kwon Do:
The elbow is the strongest point on your body. If you are close enough to use it, do!

2. If a robber asks for your wallet and/or purse, DO NOT HAND IT TO HIM. Toss it away from you....chances are that he is more interested in your wallet and/or purse than you, and he will go for the wallet/purse.
RUN LIKE MAD IN THE OTHER DIRECTION!

3. If you are ever thrown into the trunk of a car, kick out the back tail lights and stick your arm out the hole and start waving like crazy. The driver won't see you, but everybody else will. This has saved lives.

4. Women have a tendency to get into their cars after shopping, eating, working, etc., and just sit (doing their checkbook, or making a list, etc.)
DON'T DO THIS!
The predator will be watching you, and this is the perfect opportunity for him to get in on the passenger side, put a gun to your head, and tell you where to go.
AS SOON AS YOU GET INTO YOUR CAR, LOCK THE DOORS AND LEAVE.

If someone is in the car with a gun to your head DO NOT DRIVE OFF, repeat: DO NOT DRIVE OFF!

Instead start the engine and speed into anything, wrecking the car. Your Air Bag will save you. If the person is in the back seat they will get the worst of it. As soon as the car crashes get out and run. It is better than having them find your body in a remote location.

5. A few notes about getting into your car in a parking lot, or parking garage:

A. Be aware: look around you, look into your car, at the passenger side floor, and in the back seat
B. If you are parked next to a big van, enter your car from the passenger door.
Some serial killers attack their victims by pulling them into their vans while the women are attempting to get into their cars.
C. Look at the car parked on the driver's side of your vehicle, and the passenger side. If a male is sitting alone in the seat nearest your car, you may want to walk back and get someone - guard/policeman to walk you back out.
IT IS ALWAYS BETTER TO BE SAFE THAN SORRY. (And better paranoid than dead.)

6. ALWAYS take the elevator instead of the stairs. (Stairwells are horrible places to be alone and the perfect crime spot. This is especially true at NIGHT!)

7. If the predator has a gun and you are not under his control, ALWAYS RUN!
The predator will only hit you (a running target) 4 in 100 times; and even then, it most likely WILL NOT be a vital organ. RUN, preferably in a zig -zag pattern!

8. As women, we are always trying to be sympathetic: STOP
It may get you raped, or killed.
Ted Bundy, the serial killer, was a good-looking, well educated man, who ALWAYS played on the sympathy of unsuspecting women. He walked with a cane, or a limp, and often asked 'for help' into his vehicle or with his vehicle, which is when he abducted his next victim.

9. Another Safety Point:
Someone just told me that her friend heard a crying baby on her porch the night before last, and she called the police because it was late and she thought it was weird. The police told her 'Whatever you do, DO NOT open the door.'
The lady then said that it sounded like the baby had crawled near a window, and she was worried that it would crawl to the street and get run over.
The policeman said, 'We already have a unit on the way, whatever you do, DO NOT open the door.'
He told her that they think a serial killer has a baby's cry recorded and uses it to coax women out of their homes thinking that someone dropped off a baby. He said they have not verified it, but have had several calls by women saying that they hear baby's cries outside their doors when they're home alone at night.

The Crying Baby theory was mentioned on America's Most Wanted this past Saturday when they profiled the serial killer in Louisiana

After reading these 9 crucial tips, forward them to someone you care about. It never hurts to be careful in this crazy world we live in.

Jeremy having his first semi solid food

We started giving Jeremy baby rice at the end of his fifth month instead of the fourth month because he was born three weeks early. This is to give allowance for his biological age.





Here we go. The first spoonful of baby rice.







This is the typical initial reaction







The food is always pushed out because he does not know how to push it to the back of the mouth








Just scoop it back in and start all over again. Most babies get the hang of things by the end of the week.

New articles at Babiesconsult.com

1. Baby cots – safety features and proper use

Safety tips on buying a cot and how to use it properly.

This article is filed under Pregancy

2. How to Analyze Your Child's Handwriting

Graphology and Grapho-therapy are such great tools that allow us to take a peek into our children's development

One very interesting fact about graphology is the fact that if a person changes his handwriting, it will change his personality. We call this Grapho-therapy. It is a tool we can use for the benefit of our children. A tool that is free, effective and we can turn it into fun.

This article is filed under Baby care

To read the full articles you need to login to babiesconsult.com

Christopher is one year old

The day for Christopher to celebrate his first birthday finally arrived and he was so excited, he refused to have his morning nap.



Finally, I am one year old like my friends on my sides









I do not know how to blow the candle on that big cake







Mummy helping him to cut the cake








Hey, I got some cream on my lips.








Christopher when he joined the centre