Moments and Memories

Moments and Memories

Tuesday 31 January 2012

Hand in Hand


Josh was 19 months old last saturday. I captured this picture on our way back home and wish to remember how tiny his hand. He surely growing up day by day, and his tiny hand might not longer exist.


We love you Josh.

Sunday 29 January 2012

Sunday School Graduation Day - 15 January 2012

Yeay, Sunday School has their student graduate on 15 January 2012.
Which means Josh moved to the upper class, No mate Only chair for sit during the school time.
Hope Josh will cope with the new class situation.
Thanks for all Sunday school teacher who have been sooo Patient on teaching the children :)

Shyly Josh

Sunday School Teacher with their Student and Parent

Saturday 28 January 2012

Josh and Gincu



Josh ate red Dragon fruit and his lips look like wearing a Gincu - traditional lipstick.

Friday 27 January 2012

Fever - Bye Bye?!

We started these Monday (17 January 2012) with Josh got a Fever. Yeay, a panic mode on!
But, Don't say "Bye Bye Fever" too soon.


We managed to visit a doctor on the night as we usually do whenever we doubt of something happen to Josh.
Josh fever last more than a day (which was never happen before), getting up and down, little cough and having a runny nose.


The first advise came out from a doctor was:


FEVER was A Sign - symptoms and NOT a Disease!


Yes, I agree with this.
We usually misunderstood about the Fever, when our lil one having a fever, we quickly search for a medicine to cure it. Situation might be complex when you live with parent and their grandchild get sick.


What I can conclude from the article out there, Fever comes when our body immune system was fighting against something strange, and part of our brain - hypothalamus (the controller of body temperature) increase our body temperature. Fighter shall get rest, that why, our body temperature going down.
Fever might indicate serious illness but usually fever is cause by common infection which are not serious.


Fever is our friend? Can't believe it hah! But let me tell you more:
* Some of bacteria and viruses can't live in the higher temperature and then more easily destroyed by the immune system
* The higher body temperature helps the body to ward off the infection.


So when we shall worried about the fever?
As a mother with a child, equipped with a Thermometer is a MUST.
I prefer the ear digital thermometer for it's handy usage and obtain a reading in second. 
Price might be higher. FYI - in 2010 - Omron ear digital thermometer cost around IDR 400.000,- while the Omrom digital (for rectal usage or armpit) cost around IDR 60.000,-.


Doctor suggested me to do temperature reading every 4 hours.
Again temperature reading isn't the only indication whether fever is serious.
Age and Behavior do matter!
Age: Fever on Baby below 2 months old - Contact your doctor immediately.
Behavior: If your baby still playing and feeding normally even on the fever condition that might not cause big alarm.


Treatment:
According to my visitation, I being suggested:
Below 38 till 38.5 - Rest, Drink plenty water, Wear appropriately dress, Warm water bath  
Above 38.5 - I can give a paracetamol (Acetaminophen) with dosage 1.2ml drops for Josh 11 Kg up. Remember: Right Dosage connected to the body weight and it is important. So contact your doctor to get the right dosage.



Dosage rules for paracetamol:
In general, children's dosages are based on a single dose of 10mg paracetamol per kilogram bodyweight, which can be repeated 4-6 hourly, not exceeding four doses per 24 hours. (pharmweb.net ; australianprescriber)


i.e. I used Sanmol Drops - 0.6ml contains 60mg of paracetamol.
Josh was 11kg up - means the right dosage for him might be 
11kg * 10mg = 110mg

Around 1.1ml to 1.2ml drops shall be recommended for the effectiveness.


Anyway, read the leaflet instruction and consult with the doctor if you unsure how to calculate as over doses may harm our children.


Keep in mind - fever reducing medicine only bring the temperature body down temporarily. Fever might be back again, until the body clear from the infection.


For Josh condition at that moment, Doctor said that we might get back to her whenever the fever last than 4 days.


Acetaminophen(Paracetamol) vs Ibuprofen:
Both are the common pain medication in the world. Then What will I choose to used?
Ibuprofen works slightly faster and longer, and it also reduces inflammation ehow.com
Paracetamol has less harmful effect related to the stomach problem compare to the Ibuprofen.
Ibuprofen isn't recommended for babies under 6 months or for those who are dehydrated or have persistent vomiting. 
From my rational, I will choose to use the Paracetamol as my first aid and see the progress and consult with the doctor.

 A good reading using between paracetamol vs ibuprofen -> heath.wa.au


Here back to Josh condition.
The morning at 9am, I brought Josh with me on the car. On the middle of my activity, I felt that Josh fever getting higher (no thermometer with me on the car! 1st Mistake - whenever you feel your child might get fever, you shall bring the thermometer everywhere with you). 
Good thing, he still want to eat and finished his lunch box. While his eye and face showing tiredness.
On the way back home at 11am, I quickly went to the drug store and brought the Sanmol (paracetamol), and using the leaflet instruction, I gave him 0.6ml Dosage - a lower dosage (I just follow my believe that lower dosage better than over dosage. If you see the dosage requirement from the doctor, I'm only gave half of the dosage, which no wonder the body temperature was effectively going down).
He slept and lay down on the bed all the time and no mood for playing (See above explanation about behavior.) - No good signal!
Around 3pm, I gave another 0.6ml dosage as hid body temperature getting higher (again based on head to head manual feeling measurement, no thermometer on my mother house - my other mistake forgot to quickly brought in the drug store).
At noon when daddy arrived we bring Josh to doctor and suggested with the treatment above.
On midnight, Josh awake and couldn't sleep and bit cranky, and his body temperature was higher (I have a digital thermometer with me now) around 38.8 on the armpit, So I decided to give him another dosage recommended by the doctor.
The 2nd Day, Josh got better. Lower Fever (lower than 38.5) still be with him, but he seem slowly back to normal, want to play, mood for eat (even so picky), etc. Then I just offer him plenty of water, have him a warm water bath, and bring him to sleep.
After 4 days, he back to normal, even before this writing done. So I didn't manage to see the doctor anymore. Another good thing, we can have a nice Chinese New Year together :)


Source for reading:


P.S. All above was based on my personal experienced.
I believe all mother will do the best for their kids so you might agree or not with above writing, and you are still welcome :)

Tuesday 24 January 2012

Chinese New Year

Xin nian kuai le :) Gong xi - Gong xi
Happy Chinese New Year All.

What I knew about Chinese new year was the day where I can meet and greet the relative. Actually I shall spend some other time in a year where there are 365 days to meet them, but somehow, I keep forgetting, keep excusing of being occupied (by my only son - ups). So I thanks for this Chinese new year.   
There were a lot of foods, cakes, cookies, fruits, and other snack provided on the day.
My mom baked 3 types of cookies a week before, while my mother in law always made the Thousand Layer Cake (Lapis Legit). A night before Chinese New year, we ate at the older house - some cook the shabu-shabu, some buy the Yellow rice package (Nasi tumpeng), etc.

For more precise meaning of Chinese New Year, we can always browse the Wikipedia ^^.

Here some picture to share:
Great Grandma feed Josh a thousand layer cake (red- Lapis legit).

Yellow Orange Theme.


P.S. Josh was very cooperative now days. 
He enjoyed every activities and most of all, he ate a lot and easily sleep. 
Hey, he seem to knew and won't missed the great food served on the special days :p.

Wednesday 18 January 2012

When N (ngak mau - No) become the letter of the day

Josh, come and take a bath? "Ngaaak mau - Noooo", shake his head and hand for rejection.
Josh, come and let having a lunch? "Ngaaak mau - Noooo"
Josh, come and playing with mama? "Ngaaak mau - Noooo"


When that powerful letter become the letter of the day, I must double the power supply to my weapon :p and hope it filled with patient, wisdom and lot of idea.
I have search a tips for handling the letter "N" and click here to read more on babycenter.com: Getting Past No


From all the tips offered, Here what I usually did for Josh, where sometimes it work, but sometime totally failed.
1. Offer a choices
For example: Having a lunch, I offer him
alternative a. Eat with spoon Or with chopstick
alternative b. Want me to feed him Or self feeding
All alternative drive into one purpose, having a lunch, and which one he end up choosing with, we definitively agree and let him try.
Never offer something that we didn't want him to do.  For example: Want to eat or want to starving. If he choose want to starving, then we might end up with NO :p.


2. Walk Away
When I offered Josh to take bath and he say No, usually I said "Ok Josh, mommy take the bath first, it will so much fun when mommy can have the bubble bath".
Josh like be quiet for a while (*thinking*) then he followed me and repeat "Buubeell- buubeell"


Beside was the picture where Josh ate the Cherry.
We knew he love cherry, but whenever No became a favorite word, you'll get No for everything!
So when he saw me came with the plate, he refuse it with his hand and grumble. Then I left the plate on the table and walk away and said clearly "Josh, ate the cherry, you'll love it".
He saw red cherries and start to play with it. Then I said "Ate it please". 
Surprising, he start to ate it and finished it.
From this simple thing, I learn, as a parent sometime I forgot he was not a baby anymore, he grown up and I need to let him learn to take a decision day by day.(start from a limited choice of course where we sure that for their own good)  


Above was just a practical tips.
At the end, to change from the inside was more important where requesting our commitment and time.
With patient we shall give a honest explanation with a constant repetition to let Josh know what God love him to do and Hope someday he changed.


Have a great day! Never give up mommies.

Friday 13 January 2012

Video - Josh Say "Bau"




Here the story of the video.
The language development of my lil Josh might be growing fast cause he always try to followed us spelled about something.

Our driver, names Ewo always told Josh (when he haven't take bath), Josh was "Bau" (Smelly - in English) without any explanation - only say "Bau".
I remind the driver not to talked like that every time he met Josh, otherwise Josh will remember him as "Bau".
So Yesterday, I was in car and teaching Josh to called "Bapak Ewo" (Bapak - a polite called to a man older than you).
When I started with "Bapak", Josh followed me "Bapak"
Then I continue with "Ewo", Instead of followed me, he called "Bau".
Definitely, the driver laugh and I did the same.
Anyway, I thought it will be a one time called only.
But after a few hours (when the drive was not there), Josh keep repeated the same "Bau" whenever I called "Ewo".

On one side, it was like a funny moment when raising the children. Seeing they learn how to spelled a word was amazing.
On the other side, we must be careful on teaching our kids, as we can see clearly, once a word shouted, the children remember it and hardly to erase (not an electronic devise where we can easily copy, delete or paste).
May God grant us a wisdom to teach our children.

Monday 9 January 2012

Playing Time - Sleeping Time

Last year December 2011, three of us went to Grand Indonesia.
There was one playground area - we need to paid IDR 50.000 (or around 5USD) for the entrance fee -  and Play till you drop (No time limit).

I always bring Josh there, whenever we visited the mall, but Only stop in the front area *hahaha*.
Then Josh hold the post which separate the area with a craving look for playing.

We arrived around 8.20pm, and didn't know why, I wanted my lil Josh experienced it (for all to know, It's really hard to find Free and Public proper children playground in Jakarta or actually Zero. Correct me if I'm wrong.)
As Josh like to climb up and down, this was the perfect area for him.
Consider we could played for at least one hour, then I paid the money.
What I have though before, yes, he did enjoy it.

One thing that need to pay attention with:
Shall watch closely the lil one from the older one. 
The old one might play roughly and unintentionally hit the lil one.

Picture Caption below:
The lil red dress girl around 3 years old, asked Josh to played with her.
Josh who watched the old one played cheerfully, would like to join. I move him far away, but he kept return back.
So, I let him try, by holding him and when the monkey ball was swinging , I also run to follow it.
At least three time I let him tried this game, then I stopped cause too tired for me *sound I'm getting old :p*
note: have you seen nurses behind all holding the mobile phone?! hmmm.





Once we arrived home, it was around 10 pm. Need around 30minutes for clean up the Josh.
Again, I thought if I let him played till he was tired, then he might be easily slept.
But I'm Totally Wrong!
He was so excited, till he couldn't sleep. May be he still thinking what the next game to play, or he still thinking how to swing in that monkey ball :p
I closed the lamp and After I lullaby (the most longer lullaby I ever done - 1 hour singing haiz :p), sometime swing him, nothing work.
Then I totally silent, not more than 10 minutes, he moved to my arm and fall asleep. Thanks God. :)

Another lesson for me: Don't let Josh played too excited on the night. Otherwise I must put extra effort to put him slept. Better play around 4-5pm before dinner, then I guess he will craving for my food, hope so. 
I try it next time in the free playground *smile*

Saturday 7 January 2012

Mommy don't cry! Kiss Kiss

Been busy lately, as I was in a progress for searching a new shelter for our little family.
It was a challenging new year task and I think it will be a cool thing to do. I really got excited about it.

But in a reality, everything was not as cool as I thought.
I must absorb as much information that I could get, which make my brain overcapacity.
My mind keep working, I couldn't sleep for night and no time for taking nap as I usually love to.

Since then, my emotion move like a roller coaster up and down.
Thing that unusual for me was I asked my mother to take care of Josh and leaving him without any guilty feeling or missing feeling.
I easily get mad when he refuse to eat, cause I thought I have offered him various of food, and he still refuse it.
With my brain overcapacity to think about that new challenging task, left a little space for a creative idea how to feed my lil grown up Josh.
I must admit, these week was a week where I heard josh cried many times. Easily cried for something small.

So I stopped a while and started to evaluate, and I realized, what I have done should be better than this.
I shouldn't get drain in such situation. I must overcome it all.

When three of us in bedroom, suddenly I cried out.
Josh who saw me full with tears started to cried also.
Daddy who saw both of us crying together, asked Josh to gave me a kiss.
A miracle, Josh really kissed me without any rejection, many times.
Seem want to said "Mommy, please don't cry, I gave you my kiss to calm you down!"
For all to know, Josh barely kiss us, especially if we asked him to do it.
That make my heart feel so happy and hurt on the same time.
Happy as I know he has a love for me as his mother.
Hurt as I thought I shouldn't abandon him, I should work harder to be a better mommy for him.
Through these all, I was reminded that becoming a parent was a lifetime learning process, and one most important lesson we learn from was through our children.

Josh was our a little angel - a gift from God.
Seeing how Josh kiss me can turn my tears into a smile.
We love you Josh.

Monday 2 January 2012

Old and New Year 2012

Another year to come!


For the New Year Eve, I have decided to celebrating it with my family. I also offered my self to cook and Let my mom free from the kitchen this time.
Don't be quickly impressed :).


I choose three easy to made menu: Pizza; Korean Beef; and Sausage and Prawn skewer BBQ.


As a mother who always prepare everything, she seem to worried as I just started to cook at 4pm. Slowly but sure, everything done at 7pm.
With less here and there, all food launch in their stomach - I'm very happy with this.


Dirty plate waiting to be washed. But let me tell you, when they happily appreciate what I cook, washing dishes can be so much fun for me.





We also played a baby sparklers. Okay, we done it before 10 o'clock for giving Josh a snip of New Year Celebration *smile*.




At 12pm, me and husband sit together in bed, open the window, and watched all the firework and heard all the firecracker being played. Talked together for the next year plan before fall asleep.


The very next day - 1 January 2012, Three of us went to church for Sunday service.
Below was the picture of Josh who fall asleep with a bunch of food in his mouth. I gave him an omelet on our way back home and I thought he still chewed. But I saw no movement, then I realized he slept.
I took out the food and offered him a drink, then he back to sleep. Ooo My little boy.


Anyway, Happy New Year 2012 ^^/.