Dry Shampoo

Honestly, this wonderful option didn't work out for me because I have to have my hair washed and blown dry once daily, even during confinement. In fact, I washed my hair 17 hours after Bean was born, with quick blow dry after.

During pregnancy, I bought this dry shampoo, tried to fool myself into not washing my hair and trying to further fool myself into following the traditional practice *what was I thinking?* as long as you keep your scalp clean and dry, you'd be fine.

Anyways, this dry shampoo was about the only type I could find in the local pharmacy...hope you have better chance of locating nicer ones.

I'd probably keep this for long haul flights.

Do share the name of dry shampoo that you like, I am willing to try!

How We Chose The Playschool

1. License for Taska and Tadika

We were not keen on institutions without license. Period.

2. Insurance

You never know when something may go wrong, so basic policies will cover at least the barest of exigencies like fire and third party injuries. Then pray very hard that nothing happens.

3. Security

Not just CCTV but English speaking Gurkha guards, access cards, camera and voice with autogate system, parent watch group and teacher/carer watchdog committee. Play schools that request for list of permissible persons to take child out from school is very important. Photo ID and NRIC details for parents, other members of family and drivers (if applicable) would be prudent to have.

4. Distance

Closest to home for short commute time,  short response time in case of emergencies and injuries, God forbid.

5. Programme, Approach and Method

Montessori with emphasis on respect to local cultures and multi faiths.

6. Weekly Menu

Halal food. Could not find one that would cater non-GMO, non-MSG, non-the-whole-she-bang-of-allergen but decent enough to exclude the usual suspects like nuts, salt, sugar, food colouring, strawberries. Good enough for us as the play school noted cow milk and egg white allergies The Little Girl used to suffer from, made notes and pasted the notice on the board so anyone who served her food and drinks were aware. The same applies to all the other children with various allergies.

7. Charitable Acts

The play school supports a Myanmar children home. Every Christmas, parents of the play school would donate school items, cash, story books and run the annual charity bazaar to raise funds.

8. Concert 

Not the Disney standard of production you would find with some schools; but realistically raw showcase of talents by those 18 to 60 months old. Annually, we purchase a professionally filmed DVD to fully enjoy and re-enjoy the concert. 

9. Sports Carnival

Sadly lacking in the plays school we chose, but daily outdoor play time when the weather is fine added with extra enrichment programmes of gym and Brazilian soccer more than makes up for it.

10. Culture

Melting pot of international cultures, customs, languages and faith. Exactly the sort of "United Nations" blend we were hoping for The Little Girl to experience and widen her horizon in her early childhood education.

11. Fees

Taboo topic for some parents. We chose what we could afford best given our budget, with some personal sacrifice for the pretty but frivolous indulgence in life. After all, early childhood education is important!

12. Hygiene

This is a no brainer! 

What are your criteria? Do share, especially if you have chosen a school for reception year onwards!

Why We Chose Gymboree

We had the options of:

1. Tumble Tots; 

2. Kids Sports & Gym; or

3. Gymboree 

Why Option 1 didn't work out:

Old apparatus - the wooden beams were so 1990s. We were put off by dirty toys. By toys we mean Fisher-Price models we already have in abundance at home.

Lack of enthusiasm from staff escalated our decision making process, without having to look into the modules and programmes available. The outlet at Great Eastern Mall is now close.

Why Option 2 didn't work out:

The Little Girl was 14 months old when we searched for a weekly activity, and the  activities at Option 2 were tailored for slightly older toddlers and young children. When she turned 3, it became her favourite haunt every rainy Saturday morning, every play date, every other random reason. We suspect that the big pool of balls and high slides are exhilarating to a girl going-on 4 years old.

Why we chose Option 3:

It seemed like a happy place and the proprietor/franchise holder Jasmine was able to explain in detail the different stages for different age/month group. Milestones and achievements, enthusiastic staff, fairly clean apparatus, flexible time slots and reasonable fees all worked in our favour. Location was also not an issue for us, as Bangsar Village was and still is within our comfort zone. We ended up using all the play, art and music passes in about 9 months, just in time for her transition into play school.

Will we pick Gymboree for Bean? With the new apparatus recently replacing the old ones, and Jasmine remaining as enthusiastic about the programme, we may just consider it again, especially because The Little Girl keeps requesting for play dates at both the Bangsar Village and Publika outlets! Tropicana Mall outlet somehow does not appeal that much to her. She wants what the brother will get, how awesome is sibling rivalry?!

We'll see...

Do you have a play group that you would like to suggest? Please share!

ENT

Taking a much needed break after an ER and minor surgery episode this week.

Road to recovery bring this to mind:

وَالَّذِينَ آمَنُوا وَعَمِلُوا الصَّالِحَاتِ لَا نُكَلِّفُ نَفْسًا إِلَّا وُسْعَهَا أُولَٰئِكَ أَصْحَابُ الْجَنَّةِ هُمْ فِيهَا خَالِدُونَ

And (as for) those who believe and do good We do not impose on any soul a duty except to the extent of its ability-- they are the dwellers of the garden; in it they shall abide.

Surah Al-Araf Ayat 42.

لَا يُكَلِّفُ اللَّهُ نَفْسًا إِلَّا وُسْعَهَا لَهَا مَا كَسَبَتْ وَعَلَيْهَا مَا اكْتَسَبَتْ رَبَّنَا لَا تُؤَاخِذْنَا إِن نَّسِينَا أَوْ أَخْطَأْنَا رَبَّنَا وَلَا تَحْمِلْ عَلَيْنَا إِصْرًا كَمَا حَمَلْتَهُ عَلَى الَّذِينَ مِن قَبْلِنَا رَبَّنَا وَلَا تُحَمِّلْنَا مَا لَا طَاقَةَ لَنَا بِهِ وَاعْفُ عَنَّا وَاغْفِرْ لَنَا وَارْحَمْنَا أَنتَ مَوْلَانَا فَانصُرْنَا عَلَى الْقَوْمِ الْكَافِرِينَ

Allah does not impose upon any soul a duty but to the extent of its ability; for it is (the benefit of) what it has earned and upon it (the evil of) what it has wrought: Our Lord! do not punish us if we forget or make a mistake; Our Lord! do not lay on us a burden as Thou didst lay on those before us, Our Lord do not impose upon us that which we have not the strength to bear; and pardon us and grant us protection and have mercy on us, Thou art our Patron, so help us against the unbelieving people.

And again in Surah Al-Baqarah Ayat 286.

Indeed Allah s.w.t. will not impose more than I can bear, and this brings me a lot of comfort in knowing He Knows I can face this test He has given me.

ENT

I have been to the ER and back. 

Summary: profuse bleeding from right nostril caused by broken skin and capillaries.

History: have tried all self-help first aid methods since 2010, but these methods have stopped working lately.

Provocators: heat, elevation, dry air, cold air, sometimes spontaneous without any provocation.

Treatment previously suggested by Dr. Ling Chie Kai: Cauterise.

Overnight hospital stay: None, at my insistence.

Here is what happened last Sunday on my way to lunch with family...

... it was a bloody mess, literally!

Well, the bleeding got out of control. I looked like I had been in an accident. Or worse, abused. 

After being stabilised at ER, I negotiated to be discharged after being stabilised. The blood test ruled out cancer, which itself was great comfort.

Clotting eventually happened so I was allowed home preconditionally. The condition was to return to ER if the bleeding persisted.

On Monday, I went for a follow-up consultation which turned out to be a fast and furious local painkiller and laser cauterise session. I did pack hospital bag, just in case.

Well, Dr. Yeo Sek Wee had done a very good job and the best part was his understanding of my situation as a breastfeeding mother. The antibiotics were Augmentin from the hospital with some antibiotic ointment.

I was told to take from my own supply of Panadol at home, if there is any pain. I didn't have to!

The experienced doctor was brief, concise, armed with confident hands, willingly and wittily joined in to say bismillah before the procedure. His friendly and polite bedside manners match the rave reviews I have read.

I do have a follow up appointment early next month so I will have to add the "Speedy recovery & take it easy" note to self until then.

Life goes on. Without the inconvenient and worrisome nose bleeds. 

Alhamdulillah!

Pullman Putrajaya

We have re-learnt a few important lessons during this sad stay-cation.

 

1. Man plans, Allah decides.

2. If you have made a plan, said your bismillah through it all, and still something bad happens, it is qadar. 

3. If still frustrated, re-assure self with No.1.

 

How did we learn those lessons? Well. Get a cup of warm drink or set up your breast-pump and get going because this is a long rant.

 

**start**

We had booked and paid for two nights at this supposedly/reputedly iconic hotel via the ever reliable Agoda but left after only one night.

What happened, many asked.

1. The open season for flies.

Concurrent with our visit, unfortunately. We had to endure flies at lunch and breakfast at the buffet hall. It did not even matter anymore that the Deepavali buffet spread was a huge disappointment. No rezeki.

We even had one dinner in the room via room service just to avoid those pesky flies. The Other Half and I had a mild case of food poisoning for a few days.

 

2. The Bad Room Service.

The waiter who brought our cart wasn't too happy to serve us our dinner. Grumpy service is not good. Burnt kiddie chicken hot dog is even worse. The Little Girl refused to eat it, good for her! Which left her to drinking her fresh milk from home and pinching our food. Hungry in an isolated hotel is not good. we should have packed a bigger loaf of bread, whaddaya know.

3. The Children Playroom.

There was no one manning the Playroom save for one boy about 6 or 7 years old who seemed to be the resident soccer player there. This young Ronaldo wannabe kept aiming the ball to hit against the grubby glass door and there wasn't any hotel staff to warn him of the danger in so doing. Glass door? Breakage? Children Playroom? Danger to paying customers of the hotel? Hello?

 

There wasn't anyone else other than us at the Playroom so we left the dirty, dusty, sticky place after an uncomfortable conversation with the boy. 

Boy: Akak ni dari mana?

Me: Malaysia.

Boy: Akak ni orang apa?

Me: *why is this boy so racist?! Felt like replying "manusia"* Orang Malaysia. Kenapa?

Boy: Kalau orang Cina kenapa pakai macam ni? *he pointed at my headscarf*

Me: I am Chinese Muslim. Kenapa? 

Boy: Bukan orang Melayu kah? Akak masuk Islam ke? 

Me: I am Muslim, orang Muslim dari macam-macam tempat, some Europe, some Arab, some Asia. *malas nak explain panjang lebar about everyone being born Muslim, and that I am a revert/ I need to come up with a script for this defence since I am faced with this all the time*

Boy: Anak you orang apa?

Me: Malaysia.

Boy: Dia Cina kah? Tak pandai cakap Melayu kah?

Me: *lost my cool slightly and just wanted to get out quickly* Dia cakap English.

By this point I was quite annoyed and left the boy to continue hitting the glass door with his ball. The Other Half had quietly and cleverly taken The Little Girl out of the Playroom, put their shoes on and went out for a walk. Under the hot sun! with no sunscreen on!

 

I sat on one of the two toddler beds to quickly nurse Bean.

The Other Half was so mad at this incident he had wanted to leave Pullman before our room was even assigned to us! However, our patience set in and thought we'd give it a shot. This is the part we learnt and reinforced the lessons learnt. Sabar!

4. The un-welcoming Welcomer.

When I brought up the playroom incident to the "Welcomer" during check-in at 2pm, not only he did not quite comprehend what I was saying, he had this aura of "I cannot do anything about it." He didn't even offer an apology or seek to remedy the guest complaint. No, the Guest Manager/Manager on Duty was nowhere to be found.

5. The Room Service

Dare I dial Room Service? Absolutely dislike having to repeat my order and not have it repeated to me. Manners? English? Customer service? Sigh.

6. The Housekeeping

I am sorry I had to trouble them for extra towels. I am sorry for the previous occupant who needed his/her left side reading lamp light bulb changed. We answered a call asking us if we still wanted it fixed. Hello? Your guests have checked out, Pullman...maybe they were as unhappy as we were? Only too happy to leave?

7. The Porch

No proper signage to inform new guests as to where to go upon arrival, or where to park the car. Located at a somewhat basement level, it looked like we were arriving from a back lane of someplace dodgy.

8. The Carpark

Dark, dirty, dusty. Scary!

9. The Concierge 

Did not offer my luggage tag until after I had asked for it. Shame.

10. The Check Out

Please wish me a safe journey home at the very least? Thank me for my visit? No? Why, shame again.

Dear Pullman Putrajaya,

Nice architecture without good decent service mean nothing. 

Please hold a good trouble-shoot  and follow-up action meeting. 

Put aside your pride and ego, re-look at your beautiful property with some dignity and sense of ownership. 

Be proud of your "soft" key deliveries.  Make manners your staff KPI.

Pull up your socks, step up to your Accor  service promise and maybe, just maybe, I'd come back with my family.

**end**

On a happier note, thank you so much for reaffirming my faith via The Little Girl through her sense of adventure. She truly created happiness out of the fresh air and big blue skies that Allah s.w.t. created.

Hope to see Pullman Putrajaya polished to its "former glory", and make us proud of being Malaysians who keep the tourist RM within the country.

Thank you for having us.

Play Mat and P/S

Just rolling and chilling.

Easy to clean, this play mat has been with us since 2010. It has served The Little Girl very well and now Bean is having tummy time fun on it.

One of the best purchase. Thank you, Mama!

Do you also use play mats? How do you keep them clean? Do share!

P/S: Yes, I do love my MIL very much despite our differences and my rants. We have over the years learnt to respect our differences and believe you me, we share more similarities than differences. I'd blog more about things we have in common, in my personal quest to say nice things, keep positive and share the love? Please pardon me my transgression against you, Mama. I love you. Very. Very. Much.