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

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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

The Meaning of Ramadan

This year Ramadan started on 1st September.

Ramadan is a special month of the year for over one billion Muslims throughout the world. It is a time for inner reflection, devotion to God, and self-control. Muslims think of it as a kind of tune-up for their spiritual lives. The word Ramadan is derived from the word ramd "to burn". The month is spent fasting during the daylight hours from dawn to dusk therefore fasting during this month is often thought to figuratively burn away all sins.

As the third "pillar" or religious obligation of Islam (Submission), fasting has many special benefits. Among these, the most important is that it is a means of learning self-control. Due to the lack of preoccupation with the satisfaction of bodily appetites during the daylight hours of fasting, a measure of ascendancy is given to one's spiritual nature, which becomes a means of coming closer to God.

As a secondary goal, fasting is a way of experiencing hunger and developing sympathy for the less fortunate and learning thankfulness and appreciation for all of God's bounties. Fasting is also beneficial to the individual’s health and provides a break in the cycle of rigid habits or overindulgence.

Ramadan is also a time of intensive worship, reading of the Quran, giving charity, purifying one's behavior, and doing good deeds. For Muslims (Submitters), Ramadan is an opportunity to gain by giving up, to prosper by going without and to grow stronger by enduring weakness.

Fasting in Ramadan is obligatory for those who can do it. . Sick people, small children and some travelers in certain conditions are exempted from fasting but must make it up when they are able. The daily period of fasting starts at the breaking of dawn and ends at sunset and Muslims (Submitters) totally abstain from food, drink, smoking, and sex. The usual practice is to have a pre-fast meal (suhoor) before dawn and a post-fast meal (iftar) after sunset.

Food in Ramadan

Since Ramadan is a special time, Muslims (Submitters) in many parts of the world prepare certain favorite foods during this month. Ramadan emphasizes community aspects and since everyone eats dinner at the same time, Muslims often invite one another to share in the Ramadan evening meal. Some find that they eat less for dinner during Ramadan than at other times due to stomach contraction. However, as a rule, most Muslims experience little fatigue during the day since the body becomes used to the altered routine during the first week of Ramadan.

Malaysia, being the land of gastronomic delights, has an amazing array of food for breaking fast and a myriad of Pasar (market) Ramadan all over KL. I love going to these markets, as there are a wide variety of food from the different states and the price for the food is very reasonable. This year I went to the market in Taman Tun as it is the closest to my house.



If the food is delicious, there will be a long queue of people waiting for their turn to buy the food.


This is the sugar cane stall. See the amount of pulp left after the juice had been extracted.





One of my favourite is roti jala a lacy-like crepe commonly served with curry. It literally translates to 'net bread' referring to its thread-like pattern that resembles fishing net. Essentially a type of crepe, Roti Jala occasionally replaces rice in the Malay home. The batter is made from a mixture of plain flour and eggs, with a pinch of turmeric powder and butter that gives it the yellow colour. A special cup or mould with small holes is used to make the lacy crepe that is cooked over a hot griddle.


My purchases




All these for RM 50.00 only, which is not bad










Bubur lambuk is a special kind of Malay porridge prepared especially for iftar (the break of fast) during the fasting month of Ramadan. It is similar to the Chinese style porridge or “jook” albeit a more savoury and herbal version. The ingredients consist of little pieces of beef, cumin, cloves, fried onions and parsley. Coconut milk is added as a final touch to give it a rich texture and that aromatic flavour and smell. Bubur lambuk is also a unity food, prepared at most mosques for free distribution to Muslims in the neighbourhood and especially to the poor.




Malaysian grilled fish (ikan bakar) is better than western style of barbecuing because the fish is placed on a piece of banana leaf therefore the fish is not in direct contact with the flames of the charcoal. It is absolutely delicious served with sambal belacan sauce.





Keropok lekor is a type of snack made with fish and some sago. The mixture is then shaped like sausages, which will be fried as it is, or cut into thinner slices before frying to make them crispier. The best keropok lekor is supposed to be from Terengganu but I have found equally good lekor in Muar.

Christopher made it

You can see the determination he had to join the ranks of 'walkers'. Then it was singing and dancing to the song'Okey Cokey'











Four of my little 'piglets' feeding themselves

New articles at Babiesconsult.com

The truth about DHA and ARA in infant formula milk

Scientists have conducted numerous studies that show little or no benefit to an infant’s development from adding DHASCO and ARASCO to infant formula. DHA and ARA may be ineffective or even unsafe according to a report.


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This article is filed in Health Alerts

Welcome and Goodbye

This month we welcome





Zoe







Jeremy









Ju Lia






We are sad to say goodbye to




Jade








Chloe








Jocelyn

Jocelyn's progress

It is about two and half weeks since Jocelyn started walking and today you can see how steady she is.






Well Lucas has decided to join the ranks of 'walkers' as well. I love the way he walks.