jules nora yati

January 2, 2011
by yati
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Too Much cbeebies

Nora is 16 months today. Yet… it felt like yesterday that I had her in my tummy… and like an hour ago we were in hospital waiting to go home.

I worry about her development constantly, and also my ability as a mother.

I think I let her watch too much TV. It’s a form of babysitting for me. I need her to be distracted while I have a minute to wash the dishes or hang the laundry or fold the laundry or prepare food… the list goes on.

Jules say that Nora seem to be dependent on cbeebies… and it is my fault.

But I am also amazed on what she catches on cbeebies… the fact that she usually just ignores most programmes unless the songs are on… but when it comes to Something Special, she actually stops what she’s doing and sits down and concentrate.

Something Special is just a short programme that shows some simple British Sign Language. Nora can sign a bit of the intro song… she knows how to sign for food… and to let me know that she wants more. She also knows the sign for milk… and have created her own sign for ‘no’ when she doesn’t want anymore food.

So I guess something good did come out from the constant cbeebies on TV.

January 1, 2011
by yati
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Happy Happy Happy

There’s a birthday section on cbeebies where before the cards are read out, there’s a little song that goes something like ‘Happy, happy, happy birthday to you’

It is now one of Nora’s favourite song to sing.

She’d be sitting in her car seat and suddenly belt out ‘happy, happy, happy, happy…’

Or she’d be drawing, reading, waiting for me to prepare food for her and she’ll be singing ‘happy, happy, happy…’

So… happy, happy, happy new year to all.

December 29, 2010
by yati
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Still Ill

I don’t care now that I have a never ending cold… I just want Nora to get better. The poor mite is really, really ill. We went to the GP today and she was prescribed another antibiotics. I’m worried that she might actually have the flu… and being a baby, she can’t sweat it out the way that I usually do to myself. So, she just have to feel uncomfortable… and I have sleepless nights worrying about her.

December 27, 2010
by yati
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39.3C

That was Nora’s temperature yesterday. It wasn’t a good night. All she wanted was a cuddle with Mama.

Nora is a trooper. Even when she’s ill she will not stop playing and creating havoc and eat. When she goes all quiet and just sitting down and wants cuddles, and show no interest towards food, especially her snacks, that is when I start to worry.

I’m just glad to have a quiet Christmas at home… yes, my little sister is here… but she’s not intruding at all which is great… so, yes… it is a nice quiet Christmas at home.

December 23, 2010
by yati
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Child Catcher

That’s what Santa reminds me of. OK he doesn’t look anything like the Child Catcher… but I think they have the same aura around them.

And guess what… Nora feels the same.

She was OK with the Santa at nursery… but then she was surrounded by her friends so she must have felt safe.

But yesterday… she would not let me go. Not even for a minute… not even after we managed to coax her to give Santa a ‘high five’, she still had one arm wrapped firmly around my neck!

I’m fine with that as Christmas is not about Santa anyway and it’s not about getting big expensive toys. We will instead celebrate St Nikolaus day from now on… and Christmas will be a nice quiet day opening little presents that could fit under our tiny tree.

December 20, 2010
by yati
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Sit

Nora is trying to make sense of the words around her.

She’s not talking yet and I’m not forcing her. Like I didn’t force her to roll over, I didn’t force her to start crawling, I didn’t get any walk aiding stuff to force to learn to walk… she reached all these milestones when she herself is ready.

I know I don’t do it well enough but I do need to speak to her in Malay consistently. I keep reading that for Nora to be proficient in Malay (or any other language) one parent has to consistenly talk in Malay. The problem with me is I chop and change my language… but I guess that’s how I am as that’s how we speak in Malaysia.

But a colleague of mine keep saying that children picks up things really easily.

And I guess they do… for the last few weeks, when ever Nora wants me to sit somewhere, she’ll point to the chair (or floor so I could her shoes on) and say ‘Dok! Dok! Dok!’ until I sit. I guess it is due to the million times I tell her to ‘duduk’ when she tries to stand on her highchair.

She’s getting there… slowly but surely.

December 16, 2010
by yati
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Different is Good

As Muffin in 3rd & Bird (you have to have cbeebies on telly every waking hour to catch this) sings.

And yes, I proudly say that Nora is different. Every time we’re surrounded by other babies, I sit behind and observe her. When most babies would stay with a parent or guardian at gatherings, Nora will join in the party.

Last Friday, at the nursery Christmas party, Nora joined the pre-schoolers during the entertainment section. She was dancing and singing… well… her way of singing. She keeps checking that I am about, once she saw me, she knows she was safe and continued on.

That’s what I want to find… the balance. Nora is not scared of people. She likes people and I don’t want to stop her interaction… but one thing I want her to be, is aware.

She is a clever little baby. I do worry about her, as I am her Mama… but she won’t see my worry as I don’t want her to change.

December 14, 2010
by yati
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Robin Hood

Yes, it has been a while. You might have thought that once Nora reached one there’s not much to post about… but that is just not true! Everyday, there’s a story. She’s full of character!

The problem is me. Since September, I’ve turned part time working four days a week. When I’m at work, I feel that I have to cram five days’ worth of work into four. When I’m off on Friday, I try to do as many activities with Nora as possible and on the weekend I do as much house chores as I can.

When I do have free time, I’m too tired and all I want to do is be a zombie.

Today was supposed to be my department’s Christmas party… but I was told to go home as I am too ill. I rested… and Jules picked Nora up from the nursery at around 16:30.

The first thing I heard from her was ‘MAMA!! MAMA!!’

Now, Jules didn’t tell her I was home and I tried to stay as quiet as I could (in between coughs). But once she had her shoes and coat off she walked into my bedroom and saw me on the bed! She must have smelt me!!

Anyway… the story from nursery today:

Nora stole a packet of biscuits, opened it up… and distributed it to the babies. She loves her snacks… but it’s nice that she is learning to share too.

So, today she’s a little Robin Hood :)

September 7, 2010
by yati
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Riding on the Pinky Ponk

Iggle PiggleNora was ill most of her birthday week… but that did not stop her from enjoying her ride on the Pinky Ponk. I think she was just amazed that they are real and not on TV!

You can view most of the fuzzy photos on my flickr page here. Yes, the photos are fuzzy as no flash was allowed and it is not easy to hold the camera still with Nora jumping on my knees!