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A New World - The Montessori Experience

It's been about a month now that I begun my new journey into the world of Montessori and childcare. Yep, I'm an apprentice with a Montessori (somewhere in KL) and what can I say but absolutely loving it! Another major plus factor... I'm working and the same time my baby Kaiden is with me all the time. Well in fact, he's also my charge along with other 7 children. 7 wonderful children.
No matter what their background - Chinese, Indian, Russian, Pan Asian, Indonesian... they all unique and beautiful in my eyes. Some are even attached to me that they sometimes called me Mama :-) Attachment is important to build trust especially when a child is placed in unknown environment to them, and detached from their parents momentarily. The first two weeks when the children experienced separation anxiety was the hardest for us all. Them crying out (some even cried for all day long!) and I too feel for them. Lost and wanting their mothers so badly. Eventually, they settled down and amazingly some adjusted very well in a just a few days. And the fun begun - music and movement (and laughter), jolly phonics and just goofing around with the kids are enough to make me feel fulfilled for the day. Not working at the desk. Not looking at financial models day in and out. Not attending meetings to discuss the same issue over and over. So what if its 90% pay cut than before? So what is people think its not so prestige occupation? I'm happy and I'm looking forward to see my children every single day :-)

Never too late to say I love you Mama dearest

Another December baby - my Mama, my World. Happy Birthday Mak Wan.

In my hurried life - managing own home, career and family - I may not have express clearly nor often how much you meant to me. The sacrifices, the love you put in to raise us all throughout the years and continue to do so with my own children. Having my own (children) now, I know truly the virtue and worth of a mother's love. Absolutely priceless.

Although we have our differences in way we view life choices, know that I always value your opinion and advice (though some I chose not to adhere). You know best, but being the stubborn me, I like to wander and see myself where the choice leads too. Some are good, some well...it's never a wrong choice when you learn something along the way. I may not be as close the wonderful mother you have been to me but I sure hope Kya would think the world of me as I of you :-)

Ode to a special man - Wan Halim

Born 65 years ago this day, this man holds a special place in my heart. My father, my hero. Also my landscape director (cum gardener), my kids chauffeur and companion, my handyman and everything else a father could possibly be!

He worked tirelessly over the years to make sure we have everything we need. As I remembered, he never fell sick and missed work. His attitude and working ethics was an exemplary that I could only emulate by maybe 50% (talk about those MCs!...but I was sick, really).

In a nutshell, Ayah as I dearly call him, has painted such beautiful colour in my life. His positive attitude, diplomatic and kind nature, down to earth sensibility spilt onto me and in a way shaped my life perspective.

On this day, I wished nothing more but for Allah SWT to bless him with many many more years of good health, happiness with us and most importantly, the very special tidings of place of exceptional nearness to Allah in the Hereafter. Amin.

Just A Prayer

That's the best gift I can give to you, my baby on this special day of yours. A mother's prayer. Praise to Allah the Almighty, you came to us exactly a year ago as a gift from Him. Kaiden Ikliluddyin which former gives the meaning of companion (in Arab) and warrior (in English) whilst the latter is "Mahkota Agama". True to your name, you are my companion day and night, my warrior (especially when it comes to crying your heart out!) and I hope you will uplift your religion and live your days as the humble and diligent servant of Allah (SWT).

The past year with you my love have been nothing short of miracle. I tought I lost you when I was bleeding, even worst than my miscarriage I had before you. But here you are, in my arms healthy and strong. You amazed me with antics and smiles that just blew away all my blues. You are every bit mine (and daddy's) and I love you nuts! What nuts I love about you? Here's some of it:

• You have the loudest scream and cry compared to your big sis and bro (which drove me up the wall at times!)


• Your monstrous bites - yes, the time you bit me while you fed on me and I bled... and those times you went around biting people.. you scare the pants out of me with your no mercy bites! Come to think of it, you had your vampire teeth first rather than the middle ones. Guess Mama watched too much of twilight and dreamt of Edward (shh ..don't tell Papa)


• You called out mamama when you're about 8-9 months. A sweet song to my heart. You make big sis jumped when you clearly uttered "kaakak!"


• Your development is amazing, turning on your tummy at about 2-3 months, first tooth at 4th month and by the time 8th month- you have full grown 8 teeth! Though you were doing you commando crawl till about 7th month, you're took tottering steps few weeks back and on this day, you're walking on your on own two cutie feet! Soon, you'll be running... but not too soon my darling :-)


• You're the champion of shortest napper and lightest sleeper in the whole wide world. Oh boy... sleepless nights, I was baby brain for many months. Still now, you hardly sleep like a baby.


• Our snuggly moments. You're such a big snuggler, you would snuggle and snuggle till you fall asleep. How I love that!


• You love azan. You would stop whatever you do to listen to azan till finish. It must be the miraculous connection there with Allah (SWT), your Creator

Mama can go on and on how you colour our life this past year. You, your big sister and brother are my jewels. You all make me a better person and I'm so privileged to be your mother. And I thank Allah (SWT) for every minute of it.

Be well my love. Be a good Muslim. Be kind to all, no matter background, race or religion. Be kind to animals. Give back to the society as much as you can.

Happy first birthday Kaiden Ikliluddyn.

Its Big and really really Bad!

The wolf is laughing all the way to the bank by now. Another book sale. The Big Bad Wolf Sale. It's the best sale I've been to. What's not to like, great books at 70-90% discount. I went nuts!

We (mommy and kiddos) were anxiously anticipating this day since we knew about it about a month ago. So the minute... no, the second Kya returned from school today, we jumped into the car and wooshhhh to South City Plaza (I seriously wished we had a magic carpet).

Arrived circa 2p.m. Parking madness. People were coming out with boxes and boxes of books. Some taking own sweet time to load in the books. Some even browsing their books by their car boot, blindly ignoring those awaiting for parking (note to kids:be sensitive to others!). Alas, a parking near the lift. Alhamdulillah.

With kids , I must head to the children's section first. And there we were for an hour plus. With a box full of books and kiddos excited to go back and rummage their loot for the day, there's no way for me to cover the adult section then (note to self:I need to come back for my own... alone!)

Now the queue to the cashier. Another hour. But we didn't mind. With books in the box, we killed time reading. That's the wonder with books. Have book, will travel. And we travelled through time without realising it, we reached the cashier. Our damage? 40 over books at RM250. In my world of books, that's hardly any damage, not even a dent! (note to self again: must come back).

Here's our collection for the day. Can't wait for our read aloud sessions. And shoot, I think we need another billy bookcase!

Billy Bookcase

Another reason to be smiling today. I found out that the IKEA billy bookcase price is reduced to RM169 from RM185! To book lovers, this simple means - new case = lots of new shelves = lots and lots of new books! Yay!
Do you know that to date there's more than 41 million Billy Bookcases sold worldwide? Wow! A simple case.
What does your bookcase say about you? - an article from TIMES about the Billy bookcase and to my wonder, what we choose to display or have on our shelves speaks about personalities. Ye ke? I'm a bit shy to post picture of my bookcases - some are quite organized, some remained untouched for yonks of years (terselit katak mati pon tak tau), and some are just upside down (esp with the kids shelves)!

All in all, I love the sight of my bookcases in my living room, study room and kids room. In fact, the cases are the centrepiece item in my living room, far more valuable than the big tv or a 20k art painting! (errr no, I don't have one).

And here's a pic of my ultimate dream wish to have bookcases!