I’ve been sending my little princess to the day-care for two months now. And, she never cry when I leave her with the baby sitter.

This week, as usual, I went upstairs to hug and kiss her good bye. She always smile when I hold her. And, still smiling when I put her on the mattress or give her to the sitter.

But, when I’m about to leave, she cry. Is this the so called, separation anxiety?

” Babies as young as six months old can show signs of separation anxiety. They might cry when a parent leaves the room and become very clingy - for most babies this is a normal phase. A baby passes through many stages of development and at some point learns that a world exists outside of what it can see at any given moment.

As adults we know that if our partner goes out of the front door they will be back. A baby has to learn this. So the red face, gut wrenching screams and tears are testimony to the baby’s instinctive distress at losing you forever. “

The crying just started this week. And, making me feeling down.

• I wish I can take care of her myself.
• I wish I can become the first one to see her getting new skills like rolling over, crawling, walking etc.
• I wish I have lots of money to settle all my debts  - housing loan & car loan.
• I wish I have the financial freedom so that I don’t have to work and have to leave my baby at the day-care.

Hmmm… guess this is just the typical dilemma of a working mom. I have to live with it for the time being.

I envy all those stay-at-home moms!

According to Dr Ling (my baby’s paed), I can now give some fruit juice to the little princess (half an apple or orange).

So, I prepared some apple juice by steaming half an apple with some water, and crushed the soften apple with spoon - I don’t have a special blender for her yet.

Then, I diluted with more water and put in a bottle. Baby Izzah likes the taste but the teat then got stuck with some apple pulp. So, the sweet tasty juice stopped flowing into her mouth.

Hmmm… I really need to get a fruit juice blender.

Anyway, my husband went to a shopping mall and bought…..

No, not the blender.

But, Heinz Strained Apple Juice and Gerber Pumpkin & Sweet Corn. Don’t worry, it’s all suitable for 4-month old babies.

By the way, Dr Ling said we can start giving her solid (rice cereal) at 5 months and a more variety when she turns 6 months old.

So, I bought all these feeding equipment (BPA free). It’s all for you, honey-bunny baby!

Munchkin Soft Tip Infant Spoons and Bendable Infant Spoons. And, The First Years Take & Toss Infant Section Bowls.

Munchkin Baby Food Grinder - hot stuff. I like it so much. A little turn is all the power I need to turn any food into healthy, natural baby food in seconds. Veggies, fruit and meat are ground down to safe-to-swallow pieces. It’s also compact so good for travelling.

With the food grinder, I can say bye-bye to the expensive bottled baby food!

And, for her teething - Munchkin Twisty Teether Ball. Looks like 12 nipples of different texture in one ball isn’t it? Yumm..yumm… ha..ha..ha

Although my baby is only 4 months old, I already teach her to read books!

Isn’t it too early? No, it’s not.

Infact, this is the best time to teach your baby of everything, especially the language.

According to Dr. Robert Titzer, babies and toddlers have a natural window of opportunity for learning language from age 3 months old to 4 years old. After 4 years old, it become quite difficult to learn a language or to read.

You see, babies and toddlers learn to understand language and speak naturally simply by listening to language. When babies hear a second language, they learn to understand and speak the language naturally without an effort if they hear the language frequently enough.

That’s explain how we learn our mother-tounge language - through early exposure!

If babies are allowed to see the language, they can also learn written language just as naturally. Fascinating, isn’t it?

So, if you want your baby to learn (and read) a second language(s)(English, Arabic, Mandarin, French etc) - get some books or flash cards in that language. And, show it to your baby at least 5 minutes a day. Not so much efforts required for your baby’s future, right?

Let’s see what I have bought for baby Izzah.

• Baby Signs Books: Circle Time (teach baby sign language)
• Your Baby Can Read! flash card (compact, good for travel)
• Your Baby Can Learn! book series (love it so much!)

And, I’m also thinking of buying her Qiraati books as well as teach her Mandarin and Korean (I’m learning both languages so why not teach her too… he..he..he).

By the way, I really love Dr. Titzer’s book series. Your Baby Can Learn! for example, are great for teaching:

• Shapes (Babies will learn geometrically-related shapes instead of the typical shapes found in most baby books.)
• Numbers (Dr. Titzer uses research from infant perception studies to help your baby learn the concept of number as well as learn to read numerals.)
• Patterns (This book teaches logic patterns using colourful photographs and words. For example, “big dog, little dog, big dog, little dog, big dog, little dog, big dog, What comes next?”)
• Colours (This book teaches lighter and darker shades of colours.)
• Prepositions (Some of the most frequently used words in English are prepositions. Most babies are not specifically taught these words. Imagine how much more language your baby will understand if she or he comprehends prepositions.)

Baby Izzah really showed a big interest in learning and reading the books. Her eyes actually look at the words as if she is reading it (from left to right). Very impressive!

Pre-school today, Harvard tomorrow!

Update: 

Fyi, I bought the books online at http://www.mybbstore.com/. It’s a Malaysian online store which also has a shop at Jalan Kuchai Lama (map available at the website).

I’m not sure whether it’s available or not in the major bookstores. Perhaps you can ask if they carry Dr Titzer books (Your Baby Can Learn, Your Baby Can Read) by The Infant Learning Company..

For more information on Dr Titzer’s books, visit the Infant Learning Company at http://infantlearning.com/ (you can watch videos of little babies reading!)

I already have two diaper bags, a Chubby Gubby Backpack that I bought before baby Izzah was born. And, a Tenderly diaper bag which is a gift from a friend.

Why bought that backpack diaper bag? First, because I thought I’m gonna have a baby boy (the baby didn’t showed its **tut* during ultrasound). Second, because it has generous compartments and since it’s a backpack, my hubby wouldn’t mind carrying it. And, lastly because I thought the bag looks really cute in lime green…ha..ha..ha.

Since the Chubby Gubby backpack is kind of “boyish”, I want to have another diaper bag that has a feminine touch.

So, I bought this! A Gin & Jacqie diaper bag (Stylish Elaine). And, I really love it so much!

This Gin & Jacqie diaper bag is so stylish that no one will know that it’s a diaper bag.

Made of quality nylon and faux leather, this diaper bag is so light weight and easy to carry.

It has zipper top opening, two exterior pocket with drawstrings, customised printed twill dots for lining (love it!), three interior compartments, interior keychain holder for keys or small pouches, additional interior compartments for handphone and other items, one interior zipper pocket, roll up wipeable change mat that can be cleaned easily (love it!) and two interior hooks to hook bag onto stroller.

I just signed up for this Takafulink Cerdik plan for little Izzah. It’s an education insurance plan from Prudential BSN Takaful that comes with medical coverage.

Why Takafulink Cerdik? Why not the other education insurance plan? Simple. Because I want the best for my baby.

You see, proper education is the most valuable gift that you can give to your kids. But, the education cost are increasing year by year. And, you don’t know how your life gonna be in the future.

Takafulink Cerdik Plan is a fixed contribution investment link plan that matured when your children’s ages reach 25 years old. This plan does not only give protection for the education and well-being of your children, it is also flexible enough to suit you and your children ever changing needs.

In case something happens to me (touchwood - death or permanent disability before age 60 or critical illness), the Prudential will continue the monthly contribution to my baby’s education fund until it matures at the age of 25.