Asha 4yo

She is officiallly 4yo!!

Her milestones:
- she is growing up. Now it is easier to reason out with her. We still fight occasionally but not that bad. Now she is only whiny if she's hungry or sleepy
- able AND willing to eat on her own. Using spoon and fork. Well sometimes she's just lazy but she is willing now
- shows interest in books and writing and spelling. During holiday she writes and draws evrywhere. Including my walls.
- she slowly learns to spell and can memorize words. She can imitate writing too
- attention span is long enough to watch a 90mins movie on movie cinema.

I wish she grows up well but I sure will miss the lil Asha :')

Rana One Year Old (+1month)

The thing is.. I am just too busy. I am sorry but I really was too tired to post anything. Until...I installed blogger on my android (like doh where hv I been?)

Rana's milestones are:
1. Kept on babbling. She's very communicative as in she is talking with body language that is so clear she could literally speak it. But no new words yet, so far just ayah,teteh. No ibu people!
2. I noticed her soft motoric skills are getting better. She is able to use fingers for anything. Such as teearing up bread, holding up pencils, pick up small objects, peeling off stickers.
3. Walking wise.. She's improving. Now once in a while she'd walk on her own but I can see she's not confident enough yet. She seems to still be more comfortable moving around on 4. Hope to see her more on 2 in the future.
4. Like her sis. She sooo loves music. Just dances to anything with tunes. Oh, and she sings! Babbling of course, musical babbles.
5. She understands NO! So if I say no she will shake her head and stop doing it. Oooooorr.. She will pretend to stop n when I look away she'll do it again.

Her vaccinations:
Just took her MMR vaccine. Scheduled for PCV vaccine next month.

Her food.
She eats more variety of food now. Good thing is some items are slowly eliminated from her food allergy list. She turns out to be able to tolerate fresh milk. And now she's fine with white egg and cheese. But i found other processed food using skimmed milk etc she still can't take.
She still eats normal rice witg veggie and meat. Just that i give up with no salt no sugar. I try to limit her exposure though. And it's hard. Whatever Asha eats she wants.

Another Virus Attack

This is October.

Time for a season change, and the time when viruses breed. The most common virus is FLU! As usual, Asha got it, Rana got it, Ibu got it.

Another sleepless nights, runny noses, coughs, and whiny kids all day long. Trips to the doctor. I guess so being exposed often to viruses is good, in a way.... Builds up their immune system.

Get well soon kids!

The End of My Breastfeeding Journey

Rana is only 11months old. She stopped breastfeeding abruptly when she was 10months old. She was sick, having runny nose, and teething. She started biting on my breast and when I turned her down she started to pull a nursing strike. Which people say might last one to two weeks. And so I waited, and tried, and two weeks went by. And I finally accepted the fact that maybe this is the end of it.

It wasn't easy for me. Cos I breastfed Asha for 2 years full and enjoyed every minute of it. It was bitter for me. Lots of things went on my head. Did I try not hard enough? Did I do every possibility to get her back to the breast? How will our relationship be? Even then I always leave her at home while going out with Asha. I was scared I won't be as close to her as I should be.

But still, in the end, I still need to accept and cope with the fact that she is not wanting the breast anymore. So for the last month I tried pumping as often as possible. But now at 11months, my supply dropped significantly. Bare minimum. I could only provide a bottle of 4oz a day. I'm not sure why, but maybe one of the reason is because I often skip the pumping schedule when we needed to go out. Also these last week I was dead tired cos the toddler and the baby was both sick.

And now I am facing another horror truth. It might really be ending sooner than I expected. Would she be okay without my milk? I am really at dead end...

Of course rather than weeping over my helplessness over the fact I am now preparing myself mentally to accept that fact fully. I'm just praying that til she hits 1 year old I can still pump out that 4oz.

On the other hand, she is just growing perfectly. She's a fast learner, a generous baby, demanding baby at the same time. And even though she doesn't fall asleep sucking on my breast like her sister did, but she still fall asleep on my breast whenever I cuddled her to sleep. And though I truly recommend breastfeeding as much as possible, but even without it I don't need to worry so much.

Even though maybe later other problems will arise, I don't want to blame it to my abrupt end of breastfeeding. Looking at the positive side, I don't need to go through the screaming during wean off times.
I've had my moments, and all good things must come to an end.

I'd love to breastfeed again if Allah gives me another chance :)

MPASI Rana

MPASI Rana udah masuk ke minggu kesekian nih kayanya. Sejauh ini udah dikenalkan sama apel, pear, pisang, labu, alpukat, wortel, prune, dan nasi diblender. Anak kedua emang gak terlalu memusingkan banyak hal. Gak yang pake menu per hari gitu. Paling klo mau nyoba yang baru tinggal ke supermarket beli trus diblender pake hand blender. Nasi aja ya, saya ambil nasi dari rice cooker trus diblender pake hand blender :D.

Ga mau repot dan pusing. Karena yang kasih makan pembantu, dan kebetulan freezer penuh daging-dagingan dan susu perah, jadi saya stok makanan di cubes yang saya simpan di kompartemen kulkas paling atas. Gak banyak-banyak tentunya, paling stok makan 3-4 hari saja. Makannya kan masih sedikit

Masalah pup nih ya sekarang, sejauh ini karena makanan masih encer jadi pup masih lancar. Kalo udah 2 hari gak pup dikasih lactus untuk menghindari sembelit yang menyengsarakan bayi.

Mulai minggu ini mau mencoba pepaya, timun jepang (zuccini). Sementara sampe akhir bulan ke 7 mungkin masih encer banget. Di bulan ke 8 mau coba diblender tp agak kental sedikit. Bertahap deh. Finger food udah mulai juga, pake baby bites. Dulu Asha finger food nya apaan ya lupa. Kynya buah kukus sama brokoli rebus deh. Ntar mungkin ya bulan ke 8 gitu dicobain.

Semoga kali ini anaknya gak perlu ngalamin kaya Asha dulu sembelit mulu.

4 Weeks Full of Virus

After my husband came back, suddenly it's one virus attack after another. I meant the kids. The next week after he came back, Asha was hit with very high fever for 2 days. Doc said it was stomach flu virus, been viral for some time. Shortly after that she was coughing with some runny nose, and in a few days she was speaking hoarsely. Recovered from stomach flu within 4 days, and maybe one week to return to her original voice.

In the meantime the sister caught the flu as well and had blocked nose. Just after I thought Asha's flu was recovering, she got another fever with runny nose and some coughs. Lasted 3 days, then still continued coughing and runny nose for a week. Now at the end of the week her nose is still running but no more midnight coughs.

When I thought it was over the sister who just recovered from blocked nose suddenly is having a fever. With coughs, and runny nose. I felt so tired from all these viruses attack. Hopefully this school holiday is a great time to heal themselves and strengthen their immunity systems. Cos really I am tired of running to see doc almost every week and I am tired due to sleeplessness.

Get well soon kids!

Rana (almost) 6 months Milestones

Milestones:

- Started solid food on 25 weeks old. Fave so far, are pear and banana. Dislike sour apples.
- Has rolled and scooted using her tummy so she's as mobile as a worm.
- Last check-up she weighed 7.6kg, and measured 62.5cm in length. In comparison with her big sis, she is small.
- Just had her 2nd dose of PCV shot. Next month will be her last vaccination for the year! Which is the 6 in 1 shot. After that, the next shot will be on 18months old.
- Slept less and less
- Drinks 300ml of EBM more or less during the 8 hours I'm not home.
- Able to sleep peacefully during the night to wake up as early as 5 am to ask for milk.
- Starts to annoy the big sis, wants to play with big sis, likes to snatch whatever big sis is playing.

Good job Rana! Be healthy and strong always!

Catatan ASI dan MPASI

Sekedar catatan saja, pada usianya yang hampir genap 6 bulan ini volume ASI yg Rana minum sekitar 300ml. Sehari-hari saya memompa di kantor terkumpul sekitar 300ml. Di rumah biasanya mompa juga malam, ya paling 80-100ml.

Nah tapi ada perkecualian, saya perhatikan biasanya seminggu menjelang mens dan 3 hari pertama mens, entah kenapa produksi ASI berkurang signifikan. Dulu waktu menyusui Asha tidak sesignifikan ini. Yang biasanya bisa terkumpul minimal 80-100ml sekali pompa, di waktu PMS dan awal mens 80 ml itu udah setengah mati. Sudah 2 bulan saya perhatikan seperti itu. Jadi mungkin percaya gak percaya memang ada efeknya.

Alhamdulillah stok di freezer masih banyak jadi saya gak terlalu kepikiran.

Sekarang memasuki minggu kedua memulai MPASI. Waktu saya memulai mencoba memberi MPASI ketika dia berumur 25minggu. Seharusnya menunggu 26minggu, tapi anaknya kok seperti sudah siap ya. Jadi Bismillah saya coba.

Menu pertama yang saya coba hanya puree buah saja. Saya belum berani memberikan cereal dan karbohidrat lainnya. Takut pencernaannya belum siap. Sejauh ini yang sudah dicoba baru pisang, apel kukus puree dan pear kukus puree. Saya mengikuti aturan 3 hari 1 jenis makanan. Meskipun buah-buahan yang dicoba tidak berpotensi memicu alergi, tapi karena Rana agak alergian jadi lebih baik ambil aman deh.
Hari ini mau mulai coba sayur labu kukus puree.

So far reaksi Rana positif terhadap pisang, apel, dan pear. Cuma kayaknya dia kurang suka apelnya. Mungkin yang saya kasih itu agak kecut ya, jd lain kali mesti beli yg red washington apple kayanya. Dulu waktu MPASI Asha yang atur semua pembantu yang lama, jadi saya gak terlalu terlibat. Alhamdulillah kali ini saya bisa lebih terlibat.

Eczema Anak-Anak

Waktu Asha masih bayi dia alergi dairy products. Jadi sampai umur 1 tahun saya tidak mengkonsumsi susu sapi, eskrim yg mengandung susu sapi, keju, coklat, dll. Berat memang, godaan dimana-mana. Saat itu saya menyadarinya ketika setelah minum susu dia sering ruam popok, dan memang keluar beruntusan. Setelah lewat umur 6bln sekali2 saya mengkonsumsi jajanan dairy products dalam jumlah kecil biasanya tidak apa-apa. Ketika pada umur 8 bln ASIP saya tidak mencukupi kebutuhan saya sempat memberi susu sapi, alerginya malah jadi sembelit.

Untuk Rana, karena ketika hamil saya biasakan minum susu sapi saya kira dia tidak akan alergi. Ternyata sama saja. Lebih parah malah. Sejak dia lahir amat sensitif terhadap kandungan ASI saya. Kalau saya makan dairy products secuil aja, langsung deh keliatan. Betul-betul harus super ketat kali ini. Kemungkinan besar kalau harus ditambah sufor pun harus susu kedelai lagi.

Ketika Asha beranjak 1 tahun, alerginya berangsur-angsur berkurang, hingga sekarang dia berusia 3thn Alhamdulillah alergi susu sapinya sudah hilang. Tapiiiii ternyata dia jg ada bakat eksim dari ayahnya. Persis sama, terpicu seafood yang kurang segar. Kulitnya juga agak kasar. Sementara sabun JJnya mau dihabiskan dulu, dibantu dengan lotion QV.

Untuk Rana juga sama, sabun JJnya dihabiskan dulu, dibantu lotion QV. Saya masih belum tahu nih kedepannya bagaimana. Apakah sama dengan kakaknya? Lebih ringan atau lebih parah? Repot juga nih, semua dapat keturunan eksim dari ayahnya....

Sementara ini untuk pengobatan anak-anak kalau lagi kumat saya beri moisturiser yg berat. Seperti physiogel, neosporin. Tapi karena mahal tempat aplikasinya dipilih-pilih, hanya yang parah. Bagian tubuh lainnya pakai QV lotion. Lotion-lotion untuk bayi-bayi saya gak coba soalnya bukan buat kulit sensitif. Belum sampai tahap pakai krim steroid. Mudah-mudahan gak jadi separah itu.

Kalo bapaknya eksimnya kumat, jgn tanya, harus minum antibiotik sama pake krim steroid segala.

Mudah-mudahan sakitnya gak yang lebih aneh-aneh ya

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Sekedar update, waktu ke dsa sempet tanya soal neosporin, ternyata itu mengandung antibiotik. Jadi gak boleh sering-sering dipakai. Untung ditanyain. Sama dokternya disaranin pake moisturizer Cetaphil aja, soalnya saya komplen Physiogel AI creamnya terlalu mahal. Disini CEtaphil Ultra Hydrating Lotion sekitar S$18 yg ukuran 470ml. Physiogel AI Cream S$22 yg ukuran tube 50ml.

Aura 4 months old

She turned 4 months this 18 March. Her milestones are:
- she sleeps lesser now. Maybe about 2 hours in the morning and 2 hours in the afternoon. Then after afternoon bath she'd sleep until about 8pm then I feed her again. And most of the time she'd sleep all thru until 5/6 am.
- she drinks slightly more. I think still lesser compared to Asha at this age but she's growing well so far.
- she still only poop once evry week. I am so worried when she starts on solid what will happen *sigh*
- she's more alert now. Recognizes people, know how to look for attention.
- she seems to have started teething. Because she's "gnawing" on my nipple and she starts to bite things.

Nugget Ayam

Sebenernya resep ini nyontek dari blognya Anthie di link ini. Tapi dimodif dikit biar sesuai tingkat kemalasan dan selera.

Bahan:
100 gr oatmeal instan (yang merah)
100 gr ayam giling ato ayam fillet dicincang kecil
1 buah wortel serut halus
1 telur
50 gr Keju parut 

Coating:

1 telur campur garam sesuai selera

Bread crumb buat coating


Cara membuat:

1. Campur semua bahan aduk pakai tangan sampai tercampur semua 

2. Letakkan di container kotak lalu kukus sekitar 15-20menit.

3. Setelah dikukus boleh dicetak pakai cookie cutter atau dipotong kotak sesuai selera. Ketebalan juga diatur sesuai selera. Kalau aku bikinnya gak terlalu tebal soalnya anaknya ga suka yang tebel.

4. Siapkan coating. Balurkan bahan yang udah dikukus di telur kemudian dibalurkan di bread crumbs. Kalau aku senengnya setelah dibalur bread crumbs dimasukkan ke dalam ziploc berisi bread crumbs juga terus shake biar pelapisnya menempel lebih merata.

5. Simpan di freezer beberapa jam sebelum digoreng. Kalau aku biasanya bikin weekend terus baru digoreng sehari setelah ato beberapa hari kemudian.

Gampang banget dan lebih sehat! Aku tergolong orang pemalas tapi sempat bikin jadi dijamin deh semua juga bisa hahaha.

Rana 3 Months, Asha 38 Months

Rana

She has become such an adorable little baby. We went for her PCV and rotavirus vaccines on Saturday. Weigh her she was about 60cm and 7kg. SEVEN KILOGRAMS!!
In the past two months she only pass motion every week! I was a bit worried at the beginning but everyone says it's normal for breastfed babies. Most probably they absorbed everything. Even her pd said, "As long as it's not hard, she's not straining, it should be fine. She probably absorbed everything cos she has been growing very well." Starting this week she has started to pass motion more regularly. Every day or so. InsyaAllah it will continue to be so.

She has lifted her neck more often. Prefers upright position when being carried and half sitting down when she's on her back. She is very fond on strangers, has a very cheeky smile. People say she looks like Bram, but her eyes are shaped like mine. Her lips looks like my eyang putri.

She adores her big sister. Loves her company. And even though I know at her age there should be NO TV but sometimes when I put her on the living room and her sis is watching TV I just couldn't help it. She loves company, if you sit next to her she'll just lay quietly. When she's left alone she'd call for people. She loves travelling, and I mean walk around. She is in that stage where she is starting to enjoy scenery. She always looks at everything with such fascinated eyes.

Compared to Asha, she had more trouble adjusting to the bottle and less patience for slow milk flow. Now it's much better.

Asha

She is a very good big sister. Her jealousy and rivalry was worst at the first 2 months. After that she is adapting to the fact that she has a new baby in the house. Plus now there are 3 adults in the house so she could choose with whom she wants to play with. She got used to baby latching on to me and that I need to finish feeding her before I could entertain her. I try my best to provide extra time for her as well. Either for playing, walking about, go to the supermarket, just the two of us or her and the daddy.

Her speech and vocab have been growing fast. Now she goes to Zulfa nursery. So now she knows the doa before makan, before sleep, and some simple doas. Now she can draw stick man! Hahahahaha. She drew the whole family as stick people. Her cartoon fave has changed a bit, now she's into cartoon network. Geez. She loves going to the playground and play with other kids.

After she hits 3 yo, her appetite is better, her understanding is better too. Now it's easier to reason with her over things, to get her up for school and to take showers. We still have fights and bad screaming annoying days but it wasn't as bad as before she turned 3. Before this, she had 5 bad days out of 7. Now maybe 2 bad days out of 7. Her junkfood phase is slowly lessening.

I think that's about it for now. I'll post again whenever I remember to post. CIao