Zara's 嬷嬷 (Mama - Paternal Grand mother)

The days when I was away for my work trip, Daddy got MIL to come and stay in our house so that she can keep an eye on our maid while he's at work.

MIL's style of caring for a child vs mine is very different, especially in these 3 areas :
1) She didn't believe in breastfeeding, and thought I breast fed Zara for too long, making Zara too attached to me. She was so glad I finally weaned her off from the breast, even after I told her many times the benefit of breast feeding, including the DHA I'm giving Zara, and the boost of immunity she's getting from all the breast milk.
2) She thinks that a baby should be and can be toilet trained by the 1st few months of life. She's appalled that Zara is still not toilet trained by 1 1/2yrs. She said all her kids were toilet trained within the first few months. I don't believe a child can hold their bowel movement or bladder at such a tender age. It's more of her being 'trained' to bring them to the potty at specific intervals.
3) She over protect the child. Even now, she still has her arms stretched out around Zara when Zara walks about, she's getting ready to catch Zara if Zara fell.

I'm actually quite glad that I get to bring up Zara my way, which is through reading lots of books written by child care experts. Tuyam, my maid, is not married and has not cared for a child before, so I thought her my desired method, and she followed them.

So when MIL came over to the house to stay, both Zara and her were in for some surprises.

MIL was shocked we allowed Zara to play in her bath for so long.
MIL was always following Zara with arms outstretched, Zara found it very annoying.
MIL tried to stop Zara from sucking her thumb, and or course Zara was very upset.

When I wasn't around, Daddy told me that Zara has been asking MIL to be away from her. When Zara is upstairs, she would tell her Mama, "Mama, go down stairs!"
When Zara is downstairs, she would tell her Mama, "Mama, go up stairs!"
And sometimes MIL close her arms around Zara (ready to catch her if she falls), Zara would point to a corner and tell her Mama, "Mama, go there!"

When I was around, I saw Zara pushing MIL away when MIL tried to help her climb a chair or on to the sofa (which Zara is already an expert doing it). I had to chip in and tell Zara, "Cannot be rude to Mama. Mama is just helping ok?" or "Cannot push Mama away, you know Mama is Daddy's Mummy and she sayang (Malay: Love) you very much?". Zara would then turn towards MIL and give her a hug, as though to apologise.

I know MIL loves Zara and cares for her. However, her method is not one that Zara is used to, so Zara is not accepting her. I'm glad and thankful she was wiling to help out when we needed her help. However, I'm also glad that she's not Zara's main care giver, as I think Zara would be a very different person under her care.

How does she know how to use such words?

I'm so into capturing Zara's conversation these days because she's never seized to surprise me every day with her choice of words; and she's becoming so chatty, always talking when she's in high spirit.

She likes to grope my breast or Tuyam's, (not sure if this is the symptom of breast feeding her too long), and she'll say when she does that, "Zara humsup (Chinese : act of a pervert)." (I told her before she can't do that, because that's 'humsup')

When her VCD starts showing with the volume turned off, she said, "Oh shit! No sound." (I know this is from me, because I use SHIT very often).

Calming herself, she talked to herself, "Daddy is here, mummy is here mah, no need to be sked (scared)".

She farted and she laughed, "Mummy, Zara fart fart!" "Zara like a skunk." "Zara crazy girl!" "Zara joker" "HaHaHaHa"

Note : This post was written a month ago, and didn't get posted it until today.

Dolous

A few years back, I'd been on the Dolous ship with King's Wife and her girls when it docked in Port Klang. It was more to bring the girls to visit the ship then to check out its book shop on board.

When I heard Dolous is back again in Port Klang, I told Daddy about it, and we decided to bring Zara there on Sunday. We arrived at Star Cruise Terminal, West Port 15minutes before it was due opened (@ 2pm), there was already a long long queue awaiting to get in.


Upon seeing such a long queue, Daddy started cursing and swearing. "Such a long queue!?" "You are crazy to want to come!" "Only Malaysians would queue up for such at thing!"
Zara was asleep, so she didn't hear any of daddy's ranting. I just said, "You don't want to queue then go home lor."
"You stay in the car and wait then. I go queue up, and call you when you can come." (It always work if I pretended not to care and let him make the call, hee hee.)

So Zara and myself waited in the airconditioned car, and Daddy went to queue up. It wasn't that bad, within 10mins, he called and told us to come, it was also good timing as Zara has awaken from her nap.

The Doulos

It was a hot day, and the ship was crowded! We could hardly squeeze into the book shop. When we wanted to get an ice cream, another long queue awaited us, so Daddy told me to just forget it. Despite the heat, Zara liked it though, to experience being on a ship, to enjoy the cool breeze on the deck. When Daddy pointed to her the sea below, she insisted, "Zara go down there! Go swimming!"

We spent less than 30mins on board the Doulos

Daddy was so glad to get down from the ship. While we were getting out, check out the number of people waiting to get on board the ship! We spent sometime at the Star Cruise terminal, enjoying the cool breeze from the sea. Zara started exploring, singing, dancing, playing.

If you are interested, the Doulos will be in West Port till end of the month. Admittance is free, you just have to pay RM1 per car to park at the Star Cruise terminal.

Mummy Away - again

Leaving for Singapore in a while for a meeting tomorrow. Told Zara about it.

Me : Mummy going to Hong Kong (just so she doesn't get confused I didn't say Singapore) to work work again, can or not?
Zara : *look a bit upset* Zara no cry. Mummy go work work, Zara sleep with Daddy.
Me : Good girl. Zara be brave and don't cry ok? Mummy come back very fast one.
Zara : Mummy come back very fast. Zara no cry.

Maybe she thought I'll be buying her tons of clothes or toys again. Yikes!

Quantifying Love / Pregnancy Update

Daddy: Zara, do you love Daddy?
Zara : Larf
Daddy : How much do you love Daddy?
Zara : Two
Me : Zara, what about mummy? Do you love mummy?
Zara : Larf
Me : How much do you love Mummy?
Zara : SEVEN!

Haha. Daddy 0, Mummy 1

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I'm already into my 2nd trimester. Tummy is already showing. This time, it's protuding front wards instead of going side ways like the time I have Zara.

My appetite is getting better, although I'm still not able to eat as much as I used to when I have Zara.

Because of my age, my next hurdle is doing the amniocentesis around 16weeks (this round I'm not going for the tripple blood test). For those of you who don't know what this is, it's to inject a very long syringe into the abdomen to collect amnionic fluid. The fluid collected is then sent to a lab for culturing to check if the baby has any genetic or chromosomal abnormalities. The wait time for the result is 3 weeks. A long wait!

I remembered the last time when I have Zara, I didn't celebrate until the amnio test came back to say everything is ok. I didn't dare to celebrate. It would be the same this round.

Hong Kong Shopping - Photos

For the first few days in Hong Kong, I tried to shop for clothes and shoes for Zara, but I couldn't find anything. They were either the upmarket brands where every thing are ridiculously priced (even after discount); or they are cheap low quality stuff sold in the markets. The more popular local brands like Giordano or Bossini only have clothes for kids 3yrs and above. I was getting disappointed with the shopping.

On the last day, however, I saw there was a sale on in Zara! I love the kids clothes from Zara, they are ideal for Zara because she is tall and lean; most of the other international brands like Osh Kosh and Mother Care do not fit her well because they are made for bigger size kids.

Here are the loot I got for her, most of them are from Zara (which became more affordable after discount).
Baby doll clothes are very popular now in Hong Kong. People with flat tummy wearing 'maternity' looking blouse. I got myself one which will cater for the growing tummy. I also got myself a pair of sandals and a bag.

And what is going to Hong Kong without buying the extremely good quality dried sea produce/海味. I got the viagra prawns mentioned in Domestic Rat's blog too, but they are from Southern China and not Sarawak. I bought double of everything below, because I have to give them to MIL as gifts for keeping an eye on Zara and maid during the time I was away.

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Zara modeling her new clothes from Zara.

I got her a watering can from Hong Kong too, she really loves it, and immediately wanted to help Kakak water the plants.

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I wonder when I'll go to Hong Kong again (the last time I went was 20yrs ago with my mum and sis), it's not a holiday destination I have in mind. So I'll wait for my next business trip.

What I like about Hong Kong
~ The transport system, cabs, busses, MTR are very good and extensive.
~ The porridge in Hong Kong is superb, so creamy and delicious. Anybody knows how to make porridge like the ones you find in Hong Kong?
~ The roast goose is to die for.

What I don't like about Hong Kong
~ People smoke indoor, in buildings, in restaurants. Blech!
~ Food or dishes whipped out from restaurants are extremely salty for my liking.
~ Every where is so crowded, and there's no green lungs!

Hong Kong - Photos

I was back at home on Friday evening, Zara was very happy to see me, she has forgotten how upset she got. She hugged and kissed me, touched my face as though trying to 'feel' I'm real, smiled all the time and looked at me affectionately. For dinner she insisted, "Mummy sit with you (me)". And kept following me every where. At night, she told Daddy, "Don't want Daddy sleep with you (me), want mummy sleep with you (me)." And she wanted me to hug her to sleep.

Everything was just like before, she didn't need any 'warm up' time.

Here are some photos taken during my trip.

My first meal; after I arrived and checked in to the hotel, it was already 3pm, so I just walked to a near by coffee shop (茶餐厅) and ordered carrot cake (生煎箩卜糕) for a quick bite. I had a table all to myself, but if I lifted my elbow any higher, I would have touched my neigbour's elbow. The tables were laid just so close to each other.

Around the hotel. I was staying in Causeway Bay 铜锣弯, a very busy shopping district. Shops were opened till 10:30pm - 11pm.

My first taste of the roast goose rice 烧鹅髀饭. It was in a small little neighbourhood restaurant 强记, but it was pretty delicious.

Some safety propaganda in the MTR station.


View from the meeting room in the office.

Dim sum lunch with colleagues.

Dried sea produce shops 海味铺 at Sheung Wan 上环 (an area popular to get dried sea produce). I bought quite a fair bit from this shop.



The famous Yung Kee Restaurant 鏞記酒家, which supposed to serve the best roast goose in Hong Kong Island.

The display of Yung Kee facing the main entrance.