banana song

nadia nasira was fast asleep when i went to bed. suddenly, i heard nadia nasira singing. i have never heard her sing this song... probably, she has just learnt it at her kindy.

the song goes like this....

open banana, open banana
peel banana, peel peel banana
smell banana, smell smell banana
eat banana, eat eat banana
close banana, close close banana
close!

the next day, i asked her to sing me the banana song.... she sang with actions and the song got stuck in my head as well as my sister in laws. yesterday, nadia nasira saw some bananas on the breakfast table and she wanted to eat it. she went to her grandmother and asked for one.

the next thing i heard, her grandmother did the opening line of the banana song.... the banana song is here to stay in my household and everyone around who listen to this song... i shall make a short clip of the song and post it here....

little redbean's collection

little redbean now has his own collection... recently, daddy got to fly to London and Los Angeles... that means shopping! mostly for the children and mummy too. sometimes for daddy himself. well, London means avent products... and LA usually means OSHKOSH, Victoria Secret and etc... the children got their eid apparels and mummy got her Victoria Secret... well, this time little redbean got to be included! these are his collection from LA... insya Allah, for his homecoming...

hahahaha hopefully, little redbean has mummy's coloured eyes and curly hair...

33 weeks and counting...

it has been 33 weeks... insya Allah, we hope the pregnancy will will last another 6 weeks. little redbean is 2.3 kg while mummy has been 57 kg for the last 3 months. mummy's nesting instinct has set in and there are a list of things that needs to be done... 1. complete packing the hospital bag 2. buy newborn clothes 3. buy newborn supplies 4. 2nd round of washing the hand me downs baby clothes 5. wash and make sure the newborn toys are in tact 6. get all the breastfeeding equipments prepared 7. get the crib converted into a crib again 8. pack the older kids stuff so that going away to ipoh will be an easier task... 9. pack the older kids stuff that doesn't fit anymore to be given/thrown away i need to get started real fast and be done with it too. i can no longer hold the fort as i am either constantly in pain, tired or breathless. a friend of mine said that i have plenty of energy but i think no, it is the will power that keeps me going. my mother told me since i was a child that when we are born into this world, we arrived alone... it is Allah who provide us with sustenance through various means, including our parents. therefore, we must always remember that we are alone and therefore, we have to be self sufficient. whatever help that comes along is from Allah and therefore, be grateful. this way, we will always be prepared for any eventualities and at the same time, we will appreciate those around us better. and that's me..... 33 weeks and counting...

the journey towards motherhood

my sister in law asked me the other day... tak rimas ke with that big stomach? i mumbled a reply as i was busy with my son. she sat at the sofa, looking at me.... i wonder what went on her mind... this is what i didn't have the chance to tell her.... pregnancy is a journey which ends at giving birth to a baby and continues until a mother's last breath in the name of motherhood. it completes her and gives her a divine status as a mother. for that, every mother endures many discomforts throughout the pregnancy in bringing their precious children into this world. it is a journey... some may feel it short while for others, it may seem forever. the experience of carrying a baby in your womb for almost 40 weeks with all the physical and emotional changes has its bitter sweetness. you carry within you, a life that is be it a boy or a girl, a part of you. you nurtured its growth from a clot of blood to a full grown baby that will be ready to come into this world with its own identity yet the divine mother and child relationship remains. you will be constantly thinking of its well being, of what he or she will look like, secretly hoping for a resemblance of yourself. you will pray to God that your child's takdir will be a blessed one and that nothing will ever harm or hurt your baby... this baby will forever be your baby regardless the age of the baby... when the baby is born and being put in your arms for the first time, you will feel the strangeness of the experience and your lifetime committment begins. the end will be the day you breath your last while your legacy in your baby continues for generations... well, i guess motherhood is so divine that the Supreme Being orders you to.... "And revere the wombs that bore you, for God is ever watchful over you." (4:1)

my little genius

there has been so much progress since my last entry about my little girl finally getting settled in her kindy... her kindy experience was not intented to be an academic one but more of a playschool, therefore, i don't make her do any workbooks or practice her reading at home. i monitor her progress through the notes her teachers make at the bottom of her books. her reading book is the islamic version of peter and jane i.e. adam and dina book 1 which she is almost finishing. as for her iqra, she has reached the alphabet ﺡ i noticed the other day that she is able to complete a clock puzzle with all the numbers correctly. the one thing that really impresses me is that she can perform her prayers and recite all the recitation at least 80% perfection. once in a while, i will tell her to teach me iqra or reading, so i know for a fact that she is learning... all the positive learning comes with negative learning as well... she picks up some not so nice to hear words and uses it at home. i would give her a stare and tell her that she should not speak the words her mummy or daddy don't speak. that means, mummy and daddy really have to watch what they say and do. the latest progress is.... i am growing her hair so that she would be more girly. i give her a hairband and tell her to take care of it. so far, it hasn't got lost. i guess, these are little little ways that you can teach your children to be responsible and independ. this is my little gal all ready to go to school.... her brother ever ready to go to school....

boys and playgroups

taking my daughter to her playgroup used to be a fun mother and daughter activity. however, taking my son to his playgroup is much looked forward by my son but dreaded by the mother.

my son is very excited about going to his playgroup. he even recognizes the route i take to his playgroup and he would say ‘no’ if i divert for a while to his nanni’s house. the thing is, he doesn’t sit still for more than 5 minutes during the session and even more so since his playgroup has more boys than girls. well, the other boys are running about too but not as much as my son.

he loves all the activities that require him to be physically mobile. he loves the songs and music. he would sit still during the art and craft time as long as it does not bore him or until he sees any other boys up on two feet. he is intrigued by any new activity and the activity better be interesting to hold his attention long enough.

what i dread most is when he physically harm other children which makes me wanna pull my hair and cry. when i point out to him that he had made the other child cry, he would then hug them and say sorry but he then, does it again to the next child. i keep looking for answers as to why he does it and what should i do to teach him not to do it ever again.

well, nadia nasira used to be 22 months and muhammad nashwan nasr was 23 months when they started their playgroup sessions. it is true, i suppose, that boys and girls mature at different milestones… i can’t wait for the day when he does….

one of the rare moments...

he loves his teacher rahmah and is so comfortable with her...

look at him in action...

nadia nasira is busy colouring....
while muhammad nashwan nasr is exploring the cryon box...

what i discover about my son everyday amazes me! he is a natural footballer, more interestingly, a left leg striker. he had known how to kick a ball even before he was two and with the recent world cup season, my darling son has learnt to do penalty kicks. he would place the ball, reverse a certain distance and then run to strike a goal. more than once, i heard him clap his hands and say, goal! we used to let him play in the house but with his increased energy in kicking the ball, it is time football goes out of mine and his nanni’s house. i love sports but i never play any of them. i hope my son will excel in any kind of sports and make his mummy proud.