Homemade pumpkin puree with Autumnz Baby Food Processor

When Balqis turned 6 months old, I was so excited to make her first puree to feed her with all scheduled and all. I made her food in a very conventional way - steamed on the kitchen, blend with a blender - one by one. I was just a student back then and had all the time needed to prepare her food.

But when Bilal was about 5 months old, I could imagine that I wouldn't have the time to prepare his food like I used to do for his sister. As I am currently working and need to leave house as early as 7 plus, reach home at almost 7 every day, and rush to cook dinner and wash cloth and so on and so forth, I knew I needed some help. Then I found one! It's the Autumnz 2-in-1 Baby Food Processor!

Autumnz Baby Food Processor is so convenient, it helps busy parents like me a quick and efficient way to prepare baby food. It is a steam and blend in one appliance, hence no more washing two or three kitchen stuff to prepare baby food.

I've been using it since Bilal turned 6 months old until now, for about 5 months now and yes - I would totally recommend it!

Since I love it so much, I made this tutorial video to show you how easy it is to use it. Check this out.

(This is not a sponsored post.)

Visit to LittleWhiz Setia Alam for Car Seat Shopping

When looking for a new car seat last weekend, we decided to visit LittleWhiz.com in Setia Alam as they are one of the shops with Certified Child Passenger Safety Technician. And to our luck, Mr Louis Tan of LittleWhiz, their Certified CPS Technician Instructor was there that day.

He shared in detail on child passenger safety to the customers and gave advise on how to choose the right child car seat or booster for our kids, suitability depends on car, correct way to install the seat etc.

Aktiviti Messy Play di Dr Nurhaya Lactation Centre

'Messy Play' atau sensory play adalah penting untuk perkembangan kanak-kanak kecil dengan memberikan mereka pelbagai cara belajar secara tidak langsung yang menyeronokkan.

'Messy Play' dapat membantu kanak-kanak dalam banyak cara, untuk bertenang, meluahkan perasaan mereka, bereksperimen dengan bahan-bahan yang berbeza, belajar tentang tekstur dan mengasahkan koordinasi mata-tangan atau melatih kemahiran menuang, mengukur dan mencampur.

Ia juga merupakan aktiviti membantu meningkatkan kemahiran sosial walaupun tidak terlalu bergantung pada kata-kata. Kanak-kanak boleh bermain bersama dan berkongsi hasil penemuan mereka dari 'Messy Play' tanpa perlu menjelaskan perkara-perkara tersebut secara lisan.

SO, hari tu Mummy bawak Balqis untuk join aktiviti Messy Play di Dr Nurhaya Lactation Centre. Seronok sangat Balqis bermain dengan semua "mess" yang ada. Harap dengan join dan melalukan aktiviti seperti ini, dapat lah membantu meningkatkan motor skill dia. Sebenarnya, salah satu sebab nak bawak dia sebab nak bagi dia bersosial sikit. "Social skill" pun penting untuk perkembangan anak-anak jugak.

Jom tengok video ni - sekitar aktiviti Messy Play di Dr Nurhaya Lactation Centre pada 1 Julai 2018.

Visit to KL Tower Mini Zoo

The KL Tower Mini Zoo is located just before the entrance to the KL Tower. The concept is similar to Farm in The City in Seri Kembangan. I think it is managed by the same company/group. Some of the animals in the zoo are birds, guinea pigs, hedgehogs, rabbits, monkeys, foxes, raccoons, tortoises and alpacas. 

Balqis loved the alpaca so much that she keeps on telling us about how she touched the alpaca till today.

Don't break the chain!

I was having a major writer's block. 

I stared at the blank page on the screen for hours. Kept on flipping on the printed journal papers on my desk for hours.

Still nothing.

Then I found one of the videos on PhD and thesis writing saved about a year back titled "How to Finish Your PhD Thesis in 6 Months Even if You Have No Idea What to Write". So I spent my lunch time watching and listening to the video, hoping by the time I finished listening, I finally know what and how to write.

The first tips given by the speaker, Scott Rank from thescholarpreneur.com is;

 DON'T BREAK THE CHAIN. 

He mentioned how by writing EVERY DAY, even a non-academic, non-PhD related, would help the PhD thesis writing eventually. 

Just keep on writing.

If possible, have a daily writing target or goal to meet.

Just draft whatever you can think of.

Write, write, write.

"A simple habit to help you write every day."

So, here I am - writing.

Hope this is the start to a longer (non-academic) write up and eventually the journal paper and thesis writing.

(And hope to regularly update this blog again, too. :P)

....

Wish me luck, guys!

Review Daiesu Jigsaw White Linen

Daiesu Jigsaw White Linen 

 75% Organic Cotton 25% Linen 

Jacquard woven, Ecru warp with a Bright White weft

 Size 6 

 Wearee : 1y, 4m, 79 cm, 9.5kg

Perempuan by Ustazah Halimah al Aydrus

I've listen to this poem for a few times on IKIMfm and it always get my full attention, to listen words by words. I'm not a fan of poetry, but I just love this one.

Maybe simply because I am a Perempuan.

Dedicating this to all the ladies out there.

(Gambar sekadar hiasan. Hehe)

********************

Perempuan

Duhai..

Siapakah kau ini.. ?

Jika jadi anak, ia adalah bidadari kecil ayah bunda

Permata yang siang malam dijaga keduanya

Jika jadi pasangan, ia adalah kesenangan terindah

Surga untuk pasangannya di dunia.

Jika jadi orang tua, waaaaah..

Surga itu telah berpindah di telapak kakinya

Ia bawa kemana-mana.

Nabi pun membilangnya sebagai tiang

Tatkala kehidupan adalah bangunan.

المراة عماد البلاد اذا صلحت صلحت البلاد واذا فسدت فسدت البلاد

Ya, engkaulah tiang itu.

Engkaulah perempuan.

"Perempuan adalah tiang negara. 

Jika perempuan baik, baiklah negaranya. 

Jika perempuan rusak, hancurlah negaranya"

Engkaulah tiang dalam bangunan rumah tanggamu

Engkau sandaran bagi dinding, pintu, atap dan jendela

Nabi selalu benar memilih istilah kata

Karena di rumahmu semua urusan kepadamu bertumpu.

Maka, sebagai tiang kau harus kuat tak tergoyahkan

Sebagai sandaran kokohmu adalah karang di lautan

Tidak rentan diterjang angin dan badai

"tapi aku tak sekuat itu...", katamu..

"aku tak berdaya menghadapi kebrutalan dunia ini"

"zaman semakin menggerusku, bebannya melumatku hingga luluh"

"aku begitu lemah, aku tertindas, aku teraniaya..", katamu pula

Tunggu, wahai perempuan..

Kau lupa..

Ada ALLAH dalam hidupmu

Yang siap Menanggung segala keluh

Ada ALLAH dalam harimu, 

Sumber kekuatan yang penuh 

Ada ALLAH dalam hatimu,

Jika kau serahkan padaNYA segala sesuatu

Ia akan Menjaganya hingga utuh..

Maka..

Dalam tiap gerimis kesedihan

Hanyutkan dirimu dalam dzikir panjang malammu

Dalam tiap kerikil tajam di jalanan

Benamkan wajahmu dalam sujud kepasrahan

Dalam tiap duka yang menyapa

Hanyutkan air matamu dalam sungai KasihNYA

Dalam tiap nestapa

Larutkan pahit air matamu dalam manis CintaNYA

Dan dalam tiap kelabu langitmu..

Panggillah NamaNYA.. 

ALLAH.. ALLAH..

Dan tunggulah..

Hingga Ia Merubah mendungmu menjadi pelangi warna-warni..

- Ustazah Halimah al-`Aydrus