DAWN & SERENE

In challenge, DIY

100 Days of DIY

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, by audraserene

In happy, self-reflection

Self-reflection: What are you thankful for today?

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, by audraserene

In Daycare, first

How Do You Select the best Nursery/Day Care

I'm actually in the midst of finding a good nursery/day care for my daughter. She's 18 months and we decided to send her to one of the centre either this year or when she's 2 years old. Though I'm feeling miserable having the thought of someone else taking care of her but I'm trying to be positive.

Why?
1. I want her to mingle around with other kids. Have friends and communicate.
2. I want her to be independent.
3. Though my mom says she's okay taking care of her I really don't want her to take the burden. I think she deserves to have her own free time.
4. I'm a working mum and I want my daughter to do interactive activities (sometime I wish I can be a full time housewife, there're so many things I wanted to do with my daughter but I can't seem to execute them! Time! I need more time!).

Any setbacks?
1. She's too young. It's too early.
2. Aren't you scared of sending your kid there? Haven't you read the news?
3. Your kid will get sick all the time.
4. Other kids will bully her.

How do I cope?
1. I get other mommies opinions. Some mothers gave me pretty good advice and how far their children has developed and learned new things at the nursery/day care.
2. As always I went on a Google frenzy. I searched for nursery/day care review in Kota Kinabalu area.
3. Most importantly I discussed with my husband. It's important that both of us have mutual agreement on this or else I'm the one who will be responsible for any consequences. Yikes!
4. I listed down all the potential ones.
5. I will be visiting these places soon!

My Guidelines:
1. First impression is very important. Call the centre and if you get pleasant/good feedbacks then it's a pretty good sign.
2. Go and check the place. Look around. First and foremost the area whether it's safe or not:
- Is it near the road?
- If yes, is it gated? It is close all the time?
3. Once you enter the premise make sure someone is entertaining you with all your inquiries.
4. Please observe the area and imagine if your kid is there: Is the place clean? Hygienic? Is is safe for my child to play around? Can he/she go out easily? Is it gloomy inside (I don't like gloomy and dark room it makes me think that they want the children to sleep all the time).
5. How many children do they take for each class/age? How many caretakers/teachers for each class/age? (for me I'd prefer if they take children in small numbers).
6. What will the children be eating during lunch time/break?
7. What kinds of activities do they have for children under 3 years old?
8. Observe the children's faces and expression. Do they look happy? Are they having fun?
9. Better if they have CCTV.

Visited/review:
1. Taska Maryland (visited): Too many children. One mother complaint/told me that one of the caretakers forced one of the children to sleep.
2. Taska Bintang Anak@Starkids Nursery Playschool (blog review 2011): Not hygienic. Bad attitude by the owner/manager. http://sylviacreamy.blogspot.com/search/label/Complaints

Final list/potential ones:
1. Taska Chomel (need to make sure whether they're registered under the Ministry).
2. Taska Ashee
3. Taska Glory
4. Taska Bright Beginning's
5. Taska Angel Play School and Day Care
6. Taska Jolly Learners

These are some of my guidelines in finding and deciding the right one, I believe all of us wants the best and safest centre right? I would advice you to make a time to do your recce, before deciding to send your children to any of the centres.

Good luck!

xoxo

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, by audraserene

In relationship, women

What Fifty Shades of Grey Taught Me (ehem!)..

Yes, Fifty Shades of Grey.. who would've thought that I'd be learning so much from this so-called erotic novel? When the book first came out, women basically clamoring over it.. I on the other hand obviously wasn't on the wagon. Until...I saw the movie trailer (drools over Jamie Dornan hehe.. they're making a movie based on the novel, will be out on Val's Day next year). Okay so I thought I'll read the book. My review:

The author, E.L. James is clearly not a good writer. If you like to read and has been reading in your whole life you'd understand.
Yes, she succeeded in feeding women (maybe men as well) with all those erotically written ehem! (no wonder it was such a hit! From E-book to paper to #1 New York Times Bestseller)
Overall, the plot, the story WAS NOT MY CUP OF TEA.

But being typical me, I always try to find something that I could have at least learn or relate to. No. I am not not referring to the sexual act or BDSM you prefer to call it. I found out that WOMEN being us... is just so COMPLICATED. Anastasia is actually the epitome of women. Us, women are so complicated that we tend to make our partner's life miserable. When I read about Anastasia, I realized that she is really like me.

We tend to think that MEN should understand us more.. whereas we did not make any effort to understand them. Lost? Okay let me show you:

Ana tends to ask a lot of question.. I mean A LOT.. (Are you gay Mr. Grey? Why don't you like to be touched? Do you have a girlfriend? yada yada.. One question is okay if you keep repeating the same one ... improvising it.. then I think you should for once take a deep breath and STOP asking question.
Ana tries to be perfect to be a goddess for Christian. No one's perfect, deal with it. Just be yourself in any relationship. That person will love you for who you are. But in a different situation men at first will usually try to coop with their partner's bad behaviors and then there will come a stage where they had enough and ask you to change (usually for the sake of the relationship). If that person wants you to change for good then the decision is all in your hand.
Ana always tries to fix the situation when/after she had an argument with Christian. But the thing is men likes to be given some time to cool down. Some space. Men, they don't get mad that long. Trust me. Why? Because men tend to be simple and easy and will try to avoid conflicts with their partners. But for women when we're mad and angry, we like to be cared, to be persuaded gently and we sulk.. big time! and we naturally love to fix things.. I mean anything..
Ana is always insecure about herself and about her relationship with Christian. I can really relate to this. Men are attracted to confident women. Personally confident for me is when you feel comfortable in your own skin, humble and being able NOT to compare yourself to others. Yes, he had his past relationship but he is with you now. You need to be able to trust that person.
Ana is naive, childish. Yes, most women are naive and childish. Men on the other hand prefer matured women. That's why in the story, Christian will always runs back to Elena for advised and a place to talk to. Elena on the other hand is a matured and an experienced lady.

But the strongest base of Ana and Christian's relationship is the fact that they communicate. Yes, communication is the best thing in a relationship. You talk, discuss and share things with your partner. You tell the smallest things, the stupidest things, you share secrets and you just talk. You laugh and you share your concerns almost everything. So good for you Ana and Christian.

I and my husband is far from having a prefect relationship. We argue, we talked just like any other ordinary husband and wife do. The thing is, if you want to have the perfect relationship both sides need to work their ass off. Work really really hard. There's no such thing as a happily ever after kind of marriage that is the reality. So if you want your relationship to be happy, work it girl!

"Men aren't really complicated, Ana, honey. They are very simple, literal creatures. They usually mean what they say. And we spend hours trying to analyze what they've said, when really it's obvious." -
Carla Adams (Fifty Shades of Grey)

*On another serious side of review, please visit http://www.huffingtonpost.com/carey-purcell/fifty-shades-of-grey-feminism_b_2395932.html

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, by audraserene

In pregnancy, skin

Oh That Pregnancy Glow...

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, by audraserene

In audra, natural

Eczema oh Eczema

What is Eczema?

Eczema is a dry, itchy skin condition that affects somewhere between 15 and 20 per cent of children at some point. It usually appears for the first time before your child is two. The good news is that most children who have eczema will grow out of the condition by the time they are in their teens. Eczema can't be cured, but it can be controlled with the right treatments.

Read more on:
http://www.babycenter.com.my/a541297/baby-eczema-causes-symptoms-treatments--creams

Audra had eczema starting from 3 months and stopped by the time she reaches 1 year old. At first I thought it was just a normal milk rash. Once in a while I put soothing cream and clean her cheeks right after feeding. Affected areas were mostly her cheeks and later her arms. I did not take any serious measures until it got worst. It got really red, dry and scaly with ringly pattern and will bleed if scratch. My SIL noticed it first and recommended us to see a local Pediatrician in Luyang. He confirmed that it was mild eczema and gave us a steroid based cream (refer pic). He advised us to apply it to the affected skin during night time and not more than 3 days. At first I was skeptical since it was a steroid based cream but at that time I had no choice since the doc assured me that it is not in high dosage. I was happy to see the fast recovery and effect.. but wasn't too long after it appeared again and I re-apply the cream, it was gone and after a while it appeared again. Of course I went on a google frenzy searching for all the information I could find on eczema.

I went for a second opinion and this time the doc gave me a thorough explanation about the whole thing on eczema (*insert uhh..ohh..ahh). The doc informed me that most doc will recommend steroid based cream to treat eczema. She further explained that of course there are many writings mostly on the internet saying the side effects of using such cream but most of them are baseless accusation without evidence (honestly I believed those baseless accusation more hehehh). Based on her explanation I found out:

1. What triggers eczema is still unknown. Might caused by the type of formula milk/food/environment/soap/shampoo/dust etc.
2. Eczema might go away over time, but will appear once in a while (please go away!)
3. Other than steroid based cream there are other options. It might not treat eczema but will at least soothe the reddened and itchy skin. (i.e emollient lotion, natural oil, aqueous cream)

We went home with a new type of shampoo and soap and cream on that very same day. At home, I did more readings and research concentrating on real mom's experiences. To make things worst, Audra's condition didn't get any better. Her cheeks were red, scaly and dry and I had to resort to the steroid cream again. My heart says stop using it but since it gave us the fastest recovery I had no choice but to use it. This went on until Audra was 7 months old. I was stressed out and couldn't do anything to stop it. I rarely bring Audra out cause I know it will bring commotion, what's with her skin?, did you try this?, did you try that?, oh its just rashes?, what is eczema?

Nurses at the government clinic though assured me that by the time Audra's 1, it will just stop and be gone. Giving high hopes on this I went back home and tried many things to stop it as early as possible. I went to the pharmacist, all drug stores I could find and ask for their opinion. I got to thank my relatives and families for giving me endless advice and suggestion. So for mommies out there if you are having the same situation the following might help you:

1. Go and see a doctor (peads) first and always go for a second even third opinion if you are not satisfied.
2. Make your own research. Know what is eczema, what might causes it and all those important facts and information.
3. Make changes for whatever you think might trigger eczema to your baby. If you think its the shampoo change it (I used to use Johnson&Johnson but changed it to baby sebamed), keep your room and the baby's environment clean (free of dust), if you think its the formula milk you might want to change it to soya based milk (yes I did) and so many other steps. Make your own research and try to understand.. follow your motherly intuition.
5. Try and try and try. Never stop trying to find the right solution. I would really recommend you not to depend on steroid based cream so much. Go to natural product and always look at the content. If it did not work out, take 1 or 2 days before you try new product on your baby skin.
6. For my case, it was mild eczema and I had the chance to find my own solution. For severe ones please go and see a specialist straight away and be honest on what you think about steroid based cream. No worries if you prefer to use it as long as its under the doc's advise and instruction.
7. Please note that your baby's skin is delicate. Natural products are much better to use.
8. Be patience. People will ask and people will surely make comments and remarks. Educate them about eczema.

The following are the products that I've used as medication:

Steroid based cream (prescribed by first doc). My sister (who is also a doc) advised me apply aqueous cream to the affected areas first and followed by this cream.

source: http://pinkberryshortcake.files.wordpress.com/2010/09/cutivate-cream_6560.gif

Steroid based cream (prescribed by second doc). I stopped using this one after 2 weeks of using.
source: http://thestarhill.com/product_images/uploaded_images/candacort-250x250.jpg

Aqueous cream. You can get this easily from the government clinic and pharmacy. I will use this if the skin was dry (if it's too red then I will apply it together with the steroid cream)

source: http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-w3yj4LuVXl8/TgaiKVc_-LI/AAAAAAAAD9k/FILXhgdIxOk/s400/ubt.jpg

Aqueous cream is a light, non-greasy moisturiser that is made from a mixture of emulsifying ointment (which contains paraffin oils) and water, with phenoxyethanol as an antimicrobial preservative
Read more: http://www.netdoctor.co.uk/skin-and-hair/medicines/aqueous-cream-bp.html#ixzz39Zv1Iu69

Coconut oil (use the same brand as in picture). I tried but did not make any changes at all. Might work to others though.

source: http://tanamerapostnatal.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/10/cold-pressed-virgin-coconut-oil.jpg

DID A TREMENDOUS JOB TO THE SKIN CONDITION. The downside: makes the skin dry and chapped.
source: http://www.shaklee.com.my/img/products/Image18754714.jpg

By the time Audra was 9 months, her skin condition did not make any progress. Until I found this! Yes, this!

My mom planted this and I did read that aloe vera is a very good natural herbal medicine. Some mommies also share the goodness of this plant in curing (maybe not cured but stop) eczema. I cut the stalk and put it in the refrigerator to cool and applied it to Audra's affected skin twice a day. Morning after bath and before sleep. The gel work magic and you can see the changes in 24 hours! (Yes, believe me I do not exaggerate). By the time Audra was 11 months, her skin was smooth and back to normal (I'm not sure whether it was because of the constant usage of aloe vera or because its just subside as what the nurse has informed me). Nevertheless, I was a happy mom! Please note that this might not work to your baby, a mother I knew uses this to her baby and there were no changes at all.
source: http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/b/b5/Aloe_Vera.jpg

Conclusion:
This is my sharing and some of my recommendation to help mommies out there who are having the same situation. I hope it helps. Most importantly, you need to understand what is eczema and follow your motherly intuition. If not, please follow the doc's advise. I followed my own heart. Good luck mommies.

Sorry for some reason I am not ready to share my baby's pic.

Have a good day!

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, by audraserene

In first, life

The Introductory...

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, by audraserene

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100 Days of DIY

Self-reflection: What are you thankful for today?

How Do You Select the best Nursery/Day Care

What Fifty Shades of Grey Taught Me (ehem!)..

Oh That Pregnancy Glow...

Eczema oh Eczema

The Introductory...

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100 Days of DIY

Self-reflection: What are you thankful for today?

How Do You Select the best Nursery/Day Care

What Fifty Shades of Grey Taught Me (ehem!)..

Oh That Pregnancy Glow...

Eczema oh Eczema

The Introductory...

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