Iman - Intro To Solid Food

Ayah was not happy with this pic...  because he's not wearing shirt... hehehe

 We started to introduce solid after she was 6 going 7 months.  Everybody (her sitter and my mum included) was busy asking why she was not given 'any food' yet.  I just told them; she had to wait until after she was 6 months, meanwhile I would like to only feed her with breast milk !  Some people just wouldn't understand why she had to wait.  Well, I couldn't care less what others think, I just want to do what was the best for my baby. Except for her eczema, she was a healthy happy baby even without the solid food they were fussing about !  She rarely had fever after her scheduled injections, even when she was down with fever she was still smile and active.  I started her solid with apple sauce (her favorite till now), pear, carrot, avocado and butternut squash (didn't like it).  I made the sauces in batches and frozen them.  The sitter thought I was one 'weird' mother, feeding Iman like that.  Yeah... I was so much 'different' from other mothers whom children she was taking care of.  Even Iman's bottle was different from others; I used Doctor Brown's, it was a good choice since she didn't have any colic problem while using it.

Then, I made her soft porridge; rice (brown rice sometimes), fish and vegetables, always fish - salmon, cod and other fish.  Fish is always good for the developing brain.  I always remember what one professor I met once before who told me about his son which he had fed fish (his wife wasn't happy about the fish !) and later turned out to be a very bright boy.  I hope Iman would be too in the future.  Sometimes, I cooked her vegetable pasta, fish and vegetable (green if possible). 

One thing that Iman couldn't take was banana; I fed her once and it ended up with constipated Iman.  Usually people took banana to ease constipation but the opposite in Iman case.

Iman trying avocado; not her favorite.

Happy .... happy ...

Iman trying butternut squash - didn't like it either

mmmmmm...

Her skin still blemished with the HFMD scars.

Some people referred to her thighs as Kentucky Fried Chicken (KFC) !

Iman And Her New 'Heels'

Look at her feet

Wonder what was she thinking ?

Just look at her... wearing her stack-able rings as if they were sandals and walking around the house with them and grinning (at times).  I guess she just loved the click-clacking sound of the plastic rings went she was walking.  Nowadays the rings would be dented when ever she put them on... reason - couldn't support her weight of course (she is 15 Kg at 17 months).  Hhhmm...children can be so creative at times...

First Pap Smear

Today, 29 January 2010, at last I went for my first pap smear test after few months of planning it.  First time ever and I am going 40 this year !  For some it might be too late but I hope not for me. The sample was taken by a staff nurse (SN).  She was one nice nurse.  She asked and answered question very nicely and with respect.  I had prepared myself for the test; I did some reading about it and of made sure that everything was 'in order' down there... The SN asked me whether I was uptight/tensed?  I told her I wasn't worried about the test but more worried about others having a glance 'at me'... of course I was worried, what do you expect ?   The SN did her job quickly while we were having small talk.  She told me that at the clinic they used plastic speculum instead of metal; therefore less stress down there.  She also check my breast for any lump (nothing that she could felt) and we had a short discussion about breast and cervical cancer.  Over all, I had a nice day on my first pap smear day.  Thank you to the very nice Staff Nurse.  The result?  I don't want to think about that, yet... if anything is wrong the clinic will contact us as soon as possible.  In the mean time, I just want to enjoy life and living with my baby...Iman.

Iman; Naming, Shaving and Aqiqah Ceremony - 12 July 2008

Sweet little darling

Iman's attire for the ceremony

 On the 12 July 2008 we had naming, shaving and aqiqah ceremony for Iman at Mak Tok house after Umi was done with confinement period.  A goat was bought for the aqiqah and cooked (curry - a good curry...yummy).  Ayah recited the doa and announced Iman's name - Nur (light) Iman (faith) Zarifah (intelligent and beautiful).  Then Iman was shaved so that the hair could be weighed and paid according to gold price.  Iman was a good baby, didn't cry.  There was marhaban too.  Some token were given to the people who came that night.

The goat chosen for Iman's aqiqah.

Ready for the ceremony

Ayah reciting doa and announcing Iman's name.  On Ayah's left; the ustazah for the ceremony.

The hair cutting/shaving began.  Started by Ayah.

Ayah was worried ..

Careful there Ayah

During marhaban.

One quiet baby

Some of the guests enjoying the food prepared for the ceremony + the goat

For the guest. 

Iman: Hand, Foot and Mouth Disease (HFMD)

Just look at her...

This is the worst thing that had happened to Iman so far.  The night before (14 Nov 2008) we found a pimple like bump on her buttock and thought she might be coming down with chicken pox or something but no fever whatsoever furthermore she was happy and active as usual.  The next day went we came to fetch her from the sitter, she was having fever and the dotted with blister all over her body.  The the sitter said Iman's having chicken pox and we had to take care of her ourselves (of course we would, no need for her to remind us, Iman is ours !!).  But I was angry why the sitter didn't call me and tell about this but waited until we came back from work instead.  We were puzzled actually, how did this happened just within a day, so unlike the normal chicken pox symptom !  We brought her to see a doctor and the doctor too was puzzled.  But prescribed us with some med/antibiotic and calamine lotion (common treatment for chicken pox).  Iman still active and smiles as usual.  But then she started to vomit (few times) and looked tired and the 'dots' got worst.  Most of the dots on her legs and arms but only a few on her lips and face.

Fever, but still active

That smile....

Sad...

Skin start to peel

All over the legs ...

 Then the dots turned dark and the skin peeled off.  I was so sad to see her.  Then I was down with fever and blisters like dots started to turn up on my hands and feet but not as bad as Iman's.  When I went to the clinic thinking I was having chicken pox but was told HFMD instead.  We showed Iman picture and the people at the clinic said ; HFMD.  What surprise us were, I was not being quarantine or anything.  May be I was infected because I was BF Iman.  As a grown up I had felt uncomfortable, Iman as a baby might felt worst !  Again, I prayed the worst episode be gone soon.

Iman is always a strong baby and she recovered fast just that the peeled skin looked pink and then the scar turned dark.  Looked like she lost a bit of weight too.

Peeled ... scar

That toothless smile ..

The scars were very difficult to heal.
Only after her HFMD episode did her eczema was visible again.

Iman in action again

hehehehe...