once upon a norza

Hitler And ERP Woes

noreply@blogger.com (zammy yammy) — Sun, 06 Dec 2009 17:48:00 +0000

yawns

noreply@blogger.com (zammy yammy) — Fri, 04 Dec 2009 18:22:00 +0000

Somehow entries on their birthdays slipped my mind in the midst of assignments. Will update about them after a couple of entries. :D

colorwave

noreply@blogger.com (zammy yammy) — Thu, 03 Dec 2009 18:57:00 +0000

As if choosing which camera to buy is not bad enuff. I'm sure new owners of the Pentax K-x will have a lonnnnnnnng time deciding what colours they want. hehehehe.

round 1: fight!

noreply@blogger.com (zammy yammy) — Sat, 28 Nov 2009 16:55:00 +0000

And a few minutes later...

Competition is good as long as its just a bit of friendly push and shove. But it can be rather chaotic when the lil one has learnt how to assert herself and knows she can hurt her sister with her nails and her toothless bite. We've been quite lucky that Aisyah is a sensitive girl who can take great care of her younger sister although the screamings for Sarah to get out of her way can be a bit out of control sometimes. I don't blame Aisyah because Sarah is at a stage when she wants everything her sister have and follows whatever Aisyah is doing. It gets really annoying when Sarah grabs whatever Aisyah's holding and tears it apart.

Well, I really really hope that they will grow out of this screaming phase when they're bigger. Maybe it's in their genes (definitely not frm the hb's side because mil kept telling me that hb+siblings didnt quarrel much last time...lucky her!). I remember quarelling with my sister when we were in our teens (pulling each other's hairs even!!!). Perhaps what my mum says after our quarrels, "One day you'll feel what I'm feeling right now.." is becoming true...*eeps!*

How to prevent sibling rivalry?

The approaches for preventing sibling rivalry vary for different situations. In other words, a single approach may not work efficiently for all situations. All that it requires is a combination of ideas that works best to stop sibling rivalry. So, here are some of the ideas to help prevent the attacks of sibling rivalries in your family.

- Never try to compare the siblings’ capabilities or skills to one another.
- Frequently show your children that you love them equally with lots of kisses and hugs.
- Praise children for their getting along behaviors.
- Spend most of your time with the children. Pay close attention to each child by allotting special time individually.
- Never label the children as “the brilliant one” or “the irritated one.” Always encourage the children to develop their own inherited talent.
- Don’t be partial in solving the siblings fight. Never react excessively to sibling fights, as it encourages them to complain against one other.
- Be a role model in problem-solving style. Discuss about rivalry with the children separately and make them understand their mistake by emphasizing it.
- Educate children about compromising and cooperation and how to do it on their own.
- Assign household chores to siblings equally and encourage them to share their tasks/feelings with each other. This develops a sense of unity, cooperation and responsibility among siblings.

Working towards these simple ideas can help prevent sibling rivalry and provides peace in your family. However, remember that sibling rivalry can strike at any time. So, be ready to confront it!

from The Parents Zone.

Days of my father

noreply@blogger.com (zammy yammy) — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 18:48:00 +0000

Beautiful words and photographs at Days With My Father by Phillip Toledano. Very heartbreaking. I remember a fellow SH07 member did something like this for her grandmother; something different from her usual conceptual style. As for me, I did a documentary on the girls in my life (before Sarah comes along); my mother and Aisyah. I needed to find the connections between them. My mother used to babysit Aisyah when I worked fulltime a few years back and they have a rather close relationship. :)

Revolutionary

noreply@blogger.com (zammy yammy) — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 16:59:00 +0000

I had the amazing gx100 but its af can really get on my nerves on some days. But to me, a compact camera is one which has to fit into my lifestyle and gets shoved into my pocket. The gx100 is just all that. It takes wonderful pictures and there's always noiseninja for the hi-iso. I wouldnt want my camera left back at home or becomes a burden. Heck, I wouldnt want to carry my dslr around. I already have sarah in my sling and I have only the other hand to take the girls' pictures.

However I already sold gx100 to someone who will continue using this wonderful camera. Call me sentimental but I still miss it sometimes (although the feeling is disappearing cos I'm looking forward to get a replacement...hehe). Of course, I was ecstatic when I saw the video of ricoh GXR. It's going to be expensive and I have a budget to get another good compact so I'll give this a miss. But isn't this revolutionary?

the last few

noreply@blogger.com (zammy yammy) — Thu, 05 Nov 2009 18:24:00 +0000

Just a couple of pix (out of many) that I took with the gx100 before I sold it off recently. Shall blog about it in my next entry. It's 2am and I just finished designing a logo. I'm tired and it's time to sleep now. Nite!

potong potong potong!

noreply@blogger.com (zammy yammy) — Tue, 27 Oct 2009 18:08:00 +0000

one of those days...

noreply@blogger.com (zammy yammy) — Thu, 22 Oct 2009 16:33:00 +0000

and nope...this is not a posed shot. :P

mcm yeye orh ajeee

noreply@blogger.com (zammy yammy) — Fri, 16 Oct 2009 00:21:00 +0000

I thought this was pretty funny when I was looking at some photos this morning. Took this while everyone's menu reading at Earle Swensens. Their salad spread was pretty impressive and food wasnt that bad.

tired kid = cranky kid

noreply@blogger.com (zammy yammy) — Thu, 15 Oct 2009 17:18:00 +0000

It's been quite a while since we stepped into Terminal 3 at Changi Airport so when the sil suggested we have dinner there, Aisyah was really excited. The last time I went was with some of my mummy friends and Aisyah was 2, I think.

The trip was a refreshing change to the usual vivocity. Aisyah loves vivocity but loves the airport even more! It's really a good place for her to run about. There are also lots of food outlets there.

But she got cranky towards the end of our excursion. She didn't take a nap before the trip and as her tiredness set in, Aisyah got into the 'My Hyde' mode. She demanded for a lot of things and wailed when she didn't get her way. I'm aware that people were watching us and its a lot more difficult to think of what to do. We were mentally exhausted at the end of it all. The next time we went out for an outing, I will make sure she's properly rested first and follow these 7 tips:

Tip #1: Start off smart
Some careful prep work can head off some tantrums before they start. When you're at home, role play different scenarios. Give kids a chance to practice responding to various situations. For example, if your tot has his eye on a cool toy that happens to belong to a child who isn't keen on handing it over, what could your child do or say? Work through a few options, and stress that not everyone will share. Consider having your child bring a toy of his own.

Tip #2: Set expectations early
It's also important to set expectations before you leave the house. "We're going to the store to buy milk, eggs, and bread. We are not going to buy a toy." Have your child repeat the information back to you, and keep discussing it. "We are not going to buy a toy. Jack is not going to scream or cry. Are you going to scream or cry?"
Lots of repetition will help make your point, as will having your child rephrase your words back to you.

Tip #3: Be prepared
If you know all the other moms bring snacks to the park, pack something for your child to munch on. Don't drag your child on a three-hour Target run and expect him to stay cheerful and serene the whole time with no reward. And don't take your kids to a restaurant that will make you wait over an hour for your appetizers.

Tip #4: Be clear about your rules
If you're making an exception to a rule, be clear about what you're doing. For example, if you never buy ice cream in the park, but you're choosing to do so today to celebrate a successful potty run, say so explicitly. "We don't usually buy ice cream here, but today is different. Today we are buying ice cream because you used the potty! Today is different and special. Tomorrow we won't buy ice cream, but today we are."

Tip #5: Ignore judgemental strangers
You prepped, you planned -- and somehow it didn't work out right. Now you're stuck in the middle of a store with a screaming child, a cartful of groceries, and a crowd of unfriendly eyes watching your every move. What do you do?

First off, remember that strangers are just that -- strangers. They don't really matter. Anyone who actually has kids is just saying a silent prayer that it's you in the hot seat today. The judgmental ones?

Who needs them? Put them out of your mind, and concentrate on your kid. Also, remember that although we generally think everyone is watching us, most people are actually far more self-centered and are too busy thinking about themselves to focus on anyone else.

Now, if you're not in a rush, take your child to a relatively quiet area of the store and park him on the floor, in the cart, in a chair, wherever. Sit or stand nearby and pull out your cell phone, a book, or anything else that you can focus on (or pretend to) for a few minutes. Ignore your child, and do not respond until he stops screaming. Do not make excuses for his behavior, do not apologize for having a child, and feel free to make snide comments to anyone who feels the need to comment on your parenting. Remember, they are not your problem.

Eventually your child will calm down, and you can give him a choice: either we finish this trip properly, go home and have some sort of treat, or we pay now, go home, and he spends an hour in his room.

Tip #6: Don't give in
But what if you have to finish your shopping? Then do it. To the extent possible, ignore your child. Do not respond, and do not give in to the temptation to say, "Stop whining!" If you have an iPod, put it on. Channel your inner Zen master and focus on not hearing your child.

"Tantrums become a problem when parents give in to the child too soon or too often, teaching the child that a tantrum is an effective way to get what they want," says Diane Ryals, University of Illinois Extension family life educator. So don't. Do what you need to do, get your child out to the car or back home, and let him know how disappointed you are.

Tip #7: Be consistent
As long as you handle tantrums effectively at home -- that is, by ignoring them and not giving in -- they'll eventually lessen when you're out and about. Although it seems difficult to believe now, there will come a day when you'll actually ask your teenager to join you on an outing. Until then, stay strong, and you can have some ice cream when you get home.

from sheknows parenting

Hari Raya'ing at the hospital (an afterthought)

noreply@blogger.com (zammy yammy) — Thu, 08 Oct 2009 23:23:00 +0000

I have so many good things to say about the girls' paed, Dr Oh Meng Choo, but I guess you can read about her yourself if you do a bit of googling. She visited Sarah twice a day at the hospital (everyday) and gave us a detailed review in layman terms everytime. She even called us up to ask about Sarah's condition before she was hospitalised and answered our phone messages promptly. Aisyah (who's fussy about doctors) is also comfortable with her and we're glad that Sarah was in good hands...Alhamdulillah. She's one assuring doctor whom you can trust. Of course, we've met good paeds (Dr Vanessa Tan from Kidslink Sengkang, Dr Elizabeth Khor from Elizabeth Kids Clinic) and I would recommend them. But best about Dr Oh is her clinic (Kids Clinic, Bishan st. 12) is just a walking distance from our place so its really convenient.

And did I mention that our experience at Mt.A (St. Gabriel's ward) had been very pleasant. All the nurses were nice and they went out of their way to make everyone (yeah, not just me but I heard them talking to other patients) feel comfortable. They allowed my husband to stay there (this was probably an exception because of Sarah's age) and even passed us extra blankets and pillow to him without we asking them.

When it's medicine time, the nurses will always ask me whether Sarah is ready and when she's not they'd ask me when is the best time. I would be either breastfeeding her or lulling her to sleep since administering antibiotics thru her drip when she's sleeping is the best way. The staff was so incredibly kind and caring because there was once when I woke up and one of the nurses had just finished giving Sarah the nebuliser while she's in my arms. I'm a light sleeper so I know that she did her best not to disturb my sleep.

The hospital food is superb (didn't quite like the hospital food at Gleneagles Hospital on both occasions I was there)! The halal menu is pretty limited though at Mt.A though but I finished every single piece of food on the tray (ermm..except some veges :P). Of course, if you compare Mt.A with other hospitals, it's a pretty boringgggg (yawnzzzz) place but there's free wifi there and I'm happy when there's Internet. :D

There isn't any place to shop (well, there's a gift shop) like KKH where there are so many shops there. The cafeteria is non-halal and there's only one sandwich-dispensing (that's halal) machine (apart from another keropok+choc dispensing machine). Hubby said the sandwiches were not that bad and he won't go hungry. hehe. I can understand the lack of halal food availability since the number of Muslim patients there must be really little. I didn't even see one the whole time I was there...probably like most of well-meaning relatives+friends asked me, "Why go to Mt.A? It's a Christian Church and there's a cross in every ward." Correction...it's actually founded by a group of Roman Catholic Sisters and yes, there's a crucifix in every room.

Hari Raya'ing at the hospital (part deux)

noreply@blogger.com (zammy yammy) — Tue, 06 Oct 2009 00:51:00 +0000

Of course, I know that it will take quite a while to recover from a flu attack. We let her antibiotics to take its effect after 3 days and prayed that her fever will clear. But it never did but her temp rose to almost 40deg on Wed (16/9). By then Sarah drank very little and had no appetite to eat. We called the paed and asked for nurofen since her fever is >38.5deg. We were advised to go to nearby hospitals to request for her blood sambles to be taken and possibly get an xray too. Our paed suggested mt.Alvernia (MtA) since she can attend to our case if Sarah is warded but we decided to try KKH instead since it's a cheaper route.

We saw the doctor pretty fast since Sarah got fever when we reached KKH. She was given the pink fever syrup and we had to wait for an hour to see the doc to see if her fever goes down. After struggling and crying so much when the doctor checked her, her fever cleared so we were asked to go home and we can visit KKH again on Sat if she gets a high fever. Her temperature continued to rise that very night and Sarah was super-cranky and I was carrying her almost the whole night in my arms. We were lucky that Aisyah was with my parents since I wasn't feeling that well either.

The paed called to check Sarah's condition the next evening and she advised us to get to MtA to get her checked immediately. We arrived at MtA at almost 10pm and got Sarah on drip since she wasn't drinking much. I can still remember her tired screamings as the doc and nurses took samples of her blood and inserted the drip needle in her hand. I quickly comforted her when the doctor was done with it while she just looked at me with tears helplessly. MasyaAllah, only He know how I felt at that time.

Sarah slept a lot especially on the first and second day. She refused any milk at all on the first night. She only started to drink again on the second day...Alhamdulillah! She had associated strangers with medicine time because she would be fed with meds everytime a nurse appeared and would whimper everytime she saw an unfamiliar face. Her temperature was like a rollercoaster ride...up and then down and up again, disappointing us everytime the nurse announced her temperature.

From the xray results, her right side of lungs was filled with water+phlegm and our paed was afraid that it would be the dreaded pneumococcal disease. Now I have read reports of the disease and the fact that both of the girls havent gotten the vaccinations really made me worry. But results of the blood samples came and a bacteria called Pseudomonas Aeruginosa was found in her blood...well, its equally bad anyway. Our paed speculated that everyone in the house must have gotten it (except the hubby and father-in-law) from each other.

My dear friend, Yanni, wanted to visit us on the 2nd day too but I told her it's a possible bacterial infection so the doc don't actually encourage any visits. *hugs!* Thanks to those who still visited us although it was just for a while especially kak rosi *hugs hugs!* & nephew+niece who came on the eve of Raya and Cik Liz+family who visited us on Hari Raya upon knowing the news of Sarah's hospitalisation. There were no other patients on Sat(19/9) and since it's a big room with 4 beds, the place was realllly dead and empty. Even Sarah got bored and she just had her favourite 10 tiny tadpoles book to keep her company.

Despite being woozy from the medication, Sarah was almost her bouncy self again on Hari Raya, trying to bite the tubes off her wrist and crawling on the floor(!!). The paed gave us the green light to go home on the 2nd day of Raya and of course, we were excited giler. Not because we wanted to celebrate Hari Raya (no mood already liao!) but we missed the comfort of our own home. I slept very little and I was feverish too by then.

Ok, I'll blog more about our pleasant experience at mtA. Gotta sleep now...toodles!

Hari Raya'ing at the hospital (part un)

noreply@blogger.com (zammy yammy) — Sun, 04 Oct 2009 16:59:00 +0000

Both girls' baju kurongs are all ready for raya. I had even rummaged the closet for a baju kurong to match theirs. But we spent hari raya at mt. Alvernia instead. Well, theres cold ketupat, sambal goreng pengantin and ayam masak merah during the raya night to make up for it. Hah.

Anyway I should have known that Aisyah's falling sick when she told me shes tired to go to school days before she got sick. Theres the same pattern everytime shes about to fall ill...no mood to go to school, body's tired easily, and dwindling appetite. Her late sleeping habits also contributed to her low immunity. She has been getting ill for a few times since she started skooling this year. Usually she would just fall sick and recovered only days after. But nowadays she got sick for longer periods. And Sarah will always get the bug too since they play/sleep together.

Aisyah got sick again during the Sept holidays with the usual symptoms of a flu. Usually we will try to self-medicate her since the meds we have are still pretty new (<4mths old). We went to the nearby paed only after she wasnt feeling any better on the 3rd day and Sarah has started getting the sniffles too. She got better soon after but her cough suddenly got worse (phlegmy now!) after she ate some nuggets on Fri. I blamed myself for this actually because she didnt have the appetite that day and I thought it would be good to ask the hubby to takeaway some nuggets after his Fri prayers. By now Sarah's cough has started to get more frequent and shes been getting feverish too. So off to the paed again. Both girls were given antibiotics and paed assured us that both would get better in no time.

After almost a week of meds+antibiotics, Aisyah got better but Sarah's fever seemed to only clear when the fever med was given. Her temperature rose up again a couple of hours later. She was crawling when she was ok and then then will just hold onto me like a koala when her fever sets in.

sibling rivalry

noreply@blogger.com (zammy yammy) — Mon, 31 Aug 2009 16:44:00 +0000

I often wonder how our parents coped with more than 2 children. The previous generation seemed to have it easy with many kids at home (my aunty has 12 in malaysia!!) while it's a struggle for me keeping everything in place. Both my mothers also say their children never gave so much trouble as the kids these days do. Somehow kids are more obedient during those times or is it because it's the way we discipline them. Just by giving dagger eyes to their children, the kids can sense that what they're doing is wrong. The older ones help to look after the little ones when their parents are busy.

Aisyah has helped me look after her sister quite a number of times especially when I have to do some serious business at the loo. If she wants something urgently and I can't help her because I am busy with Sarah, she will always say, "Takpe...Aisyah boleh jaga Sarah..". I never leave her alone with Sarah unless Sarah is strapped to her seat with a tray in front to stop her from throwing herself forward.

Sarah enjoys looking at her sister's antics and Aisyah loves to make Sarah laugh...a LOT. Of course, there were instances when both growl at each other. Aisyah will want whatever Sarah gets her hands on (and vice versa). It's ridiculous because the toy that Sarah was holding is something that Aisyah wasn't playing with. There was once when Sarah grabbed a part of Aisyah's face in anger when the latter snatched her toy. We will often praise Aisyah that being a nice girl and all, she should be sharing her toy. She is ready to share her toy after a few moments of cajoling. Like her grannies would say, "nih nak kena kipas ajeee..." hehe. Oh well, I expect more sibling rivalry issues in years to come.

fairytale ending

noreply@blogger.com (zammy yammy) — Mon, 17 Aug 2009 16:14:00 +0000

Although we havent been seeing each other much, I know she is one of the few people in my life that I can depend on. I still remember how she had all of these wonderful things to say about him during out meetups. I really believe that Yanni deserves all the joy and happiness after what she went through with the 'wrong people' and I'm glad that she has found her fairytale ending with Azmi...yay! Congratulations, you peeps!

(p.s. stop making us jealous with those Greece honeymoon pix, can?)

just for the record

noreply@blogger.com (zammy yammy) — Tue, 11 Aug 2009 16:48:00 +0000

Aisyah surprised me by writing her name on the card all by herself. I'm surprised because I only remembered we wrote her name once or twice together on her worksheets. I'm not one of those parents who makes sure she can read/write by a certain age although I'm not one who's bochup either. Aisyah loathes writing so she rarely touches her pencils. I guess the set of Kumon alphabet-writing cards which she does when she feels like it helps a lot...heh.

my lil vegetarian

noreply@blogger.com (zammy yammy) — Wed, 05 Aug 2009 16:20:00 +0000

Sarah is still more of a vegetarian (read: fruits and vege puree + oats/rice cereals) at 8months old. She gave me this "euwwwww!" look when I gave her a few spoonfuls of fish porridge last weekend. I've even asked my mil to cook some fish porridge for her the 2nd time round (with sprinkles of grounded ikan bilis) in case she don't like my cooking but the results are still the same! I will probably introduce codfish (with lots of fruit/vege puree to hide the taste!) next time cos it's less fishy'er than threadfin. I can't stand the taste of threadfin either. x_x

Oooh, and chk this link out. Was surfing around for recipe inspiration when I saw this website.

time

noreply@blogger.com (zammy yammy) — Tue, 21 Jul 2009 18:02:00 +0000

"Time is the only thing we really own and relationship is the only thing we can buy with it." Homeschool Diva's tagline

portraits of Aisyah

noreply@blogger.com (zammy yammy) — Thu, 16 Jul 2009 00:17:00 +0000

Nowadays it's hard to get a picture of her. Whenever she sees me pointing the camera at her, she'll either cover her face or run away, "Don't want to take pictures!!!".

my sister's wedding

noreply@blogger.com (zammy yammy) — Tue, 14 Jul 2009 16:52:00 +0000

And so here are a couple of pictures from my sister's wedding. I still remember how Aisyah excitedly announced that "Unty loves uncle Shah sebab tuh dier nak kahwen!" when Shah came into the room with the wedding ring. hehe.

More pictures here.

iNteresting

noreply@blogger.com (zammy yammy) — Wed, 08 Jul 2009 16:53:00 +0000

I don't have any Apple products but this is very interesting.

kanak2 ngowo

noreply@blogger.com (zammy yammy) — Wed, 08 Jul 2009 06:27:00 +0000

Found these photos while I was backing up my photos. These were taken during adek's wedding and Aisyah+Imran were watching "Cars" while taking a break in my parents' place. I just found their expressions amusing. :)

yes, i'm still here

noreply@blogger.com (zammy yammy) — Fri, 26 Jun 2009 23:32:00 +0000

I have so many things to blog about...Aisyah's skool holidays, my adek's wedding, Sarah's first makan experience, etc etc. But the girls are up from 0900hr-1100hr and when both are sleeping, I'm also sleeping with them...hehehe. But I'm not complaining. Afterall they are small only once and I'm happy just to be spending my time with them (ok, and a bit of online shopping too. :P)

the mommy's day post

noreply@blogger.com (zammy yammy) — Wed, 13 May 2009 18:21:00 +0000

I’ve been trying to write something about both of my mothers. Well, of course I have to write something about my mother first because she will get jealous if I talk about my mother-in-law. hehe. (she reads my blog btw. :P)

I could write about how much she means to me and how much I appreciate her. I could also write about how much privileged I am to be able to write this as a mother...Alhamdulillah! I could write how surreal it feels and how deeply grateful I am.

I still remember the day Aisyah was born. Like most mothers, it was the happiest day in my life. I remember holding her and it hit me then that being a mother is a life long journey. My patience is tested lots of times. There are days when I need to close my eyes and breathe in and out in a midst of the storm which only a toddler can create. It's complex and daunting but it's also fun. Motherhood taught me selflessness and compassion.

In celebration of the mother’s day and being a mom, here’s some mother hood humour I got in an email:

- My mother taught me LOGIC… “If you fall off that swing and break your neck, you can’t go to the store with me.”

- My mother taught me MEDICINE… “If you don’t stop crossing your eyes, they’re going to freeze that way.”

- My mother taught me TO THINK AHEAD… “If you don’t pass your spelling test, you’ll never get a good job!”

- My mother taught me ESP… “Put your sweater on; don’t you think that I know when you’re cold?”

- My mother taught me TO MEET A CHALLENGE… “What were you thinking? Answer me when I talk to you…Don’t talk back to me!”

- My mother taught me HUMOUR… “When that lawn mower cuts off your toes, don’t come running to me.”

- My mother taught me how to BECOME AN ADULT… “If you don’t eat your vegetables, you’ll never grow up.

- My mother taught me ABOUT SEX… “How do you think you got here?”

- My mother taught me about GENETICS… “You are just like your father!”

- My mother taught me about my ROOTS… “Do you think you were born in a barn?”

- My mother taught
me about the WISDOM of AGE… “When you get to be my age, you will understand.”

- My mother taught me about ANTICIPATION… “Just wait until your father gets home.”

- My mother taught me about RECEIVING… “You are going to get it when we get home.”

- And my all time favorite thing–JUSTICE… “One day you will have kids, and I hope they turn out just like YOU… then you’ll see what it’s like.”