About books again

Yup still under the same topic here is what Times has to offer for the KK folks ;p

Mercury poisoning part II

For the benefit of those who would like to know a little bit more about mercury poisoning, I would like to share with you  thanks to Gloria who has researched and compiled (and pinned it on her refrigerator as a reminder of which you can do so too hehe..) on the same topic for your reference :) Happy reading !! And oh thanks Glo for letting me share this useful info ;p

Should I give my baby fish?

Fish is a major source of omega-3 fatty acids (specifically DHA and EPA), which are important for a child's brain and eye development. It's also low in saturated fat and high in protein, vitamin D, and other important nutrients. Fish is too good a nutritional choice – especially during early childhood – to give up, and most experts agree that the benefits of eating fish usually outweigh the risks.

Almost all fish and shellfish contain some mercury, but large predator fish accumulate the most. That's because predator fish eat other fish – fish that have absorbed mercury themselves. And the bigger the predator fish, the more fish it eats. Larger fish also tend to live longer than smaller fish, so there's simply more time for mercury to build up in their bodies.

Experts are still debating exactly how much mercury is harmful, but most agree it's a good idea to avoid feeding your children fish that are high in mercury and to limit (but not eliminate) other fish in their diet.

Fish to avoid

Some types of fish contain contaminants such as mercury. In high doses, this metal is harmful to a child's developing brain and nervous system. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) recommends that you avoid feeding your child shark, swordfish, king mackerel, and tilefish – large predatory fish that contain the highest levels of mercury.

Purdue toxicologist Santerre recommends that children between the ages of 2 and 6 not be served fresh or frozen tuna, striped bass, bluefish, Chilean sea bass, golden snapper, marlin, orange roughy, amberjack, Crevalle jack, Spanish mackerel from the Gulf of Mexico, and walleye from the Great Lakes.

So which fish – and how much – can I safely serve my child?

The FDA/EPA advisory says it's okay to serve your child two child-size servings a week of any fish and shellfish, other than the four you shouldn't serve at all: shark, swordfish, king mackerel, and tilefish. (See special restrictions on canned tuna below.) A child-size serving is 1 ounce of fish for 1- and 2-year-olds; 1.5 ounces for children ages 3 to 6; and 2 ounces for a child over age 6.

By the way, fish sticks aren't part of this equation because they're generally low in mercury. But they're also not a good source of omega-3s.

Fish that are both low in mercury and high in healthy fats: Herring, Mackerel (Atlantic, jack, chub), Rainbow trout (farm raised), Salmon (wild or farm raised), Sardines, Whitefish, Anchovy.

Very sorry as I am unable to give you the exact links of these info but Glo assured that they are from various reliable sources :)

I've also extracted this from the net for easy reading

Extracted from Tuberose.com

My mum has always reminded me not to buy big fishes for the boys...reason being the amount of mercury content on bigger fishes which means older fishes may be more than the smaller/ younger fishes. Honestly speaking, I never check the facts but I assumed my mum is right as it does sound logic. Besides my  mum normally reads or pays attention to such info. So I always trust her advice ;p Anyway, back to the title, here's an informative personal experience about mercury poisoning for the sharing.

Mercury poisoning

31 August 2009

Taken from Paren Thots

My son is 18 months old now. We started feeding our son cod fish, and occasionally salmon since he was six months old until one year old.

We found out that he was suffering from mercury poisoning during a routine checkup when he was one.

There were no signs or symptoms of mercury poisoning. We casually asked the doctor whether it's okay to feed him cod fish (chilean sea bass) every day since we read that it contains high mercury content.

The doctor said he was not sure, but if we were worried, he could do a mercury test for my son. We found out that my son's mercury level was nearly nine times higher than the allowed level, which is less than 75. His was 622.

After a dose of DMSA (the treatment for mercury poisoning) and a few months of natural healing, his mercury level is now back to the normal range, that is 48.3.

A lot of Malaysian parents are not aware of the danger of mercury poisoning. We were very lucky to discover this even before the symptoms showed. Just imagine if your child is poisoned and you finally find out, say 10 years later when his mental and physical health have been damaged by this poisonous substance.

I strongly recommend parents take their children for a mercury test if they have been feeding their children with cod fish or any deep sea big fish which may have high mercury content.

Early detection and treatment are effective damage control for our precious children. After all, we feed them with expensive fish because we believe it is good for their brain development, right?

A concerned mom

Fish is served on alternate days for the boys (same reason as the Concerned Mom i.e. for brain development) and normally I will buy Tenggiri (Spanish mackerel) if not the black or white pompfret fish and occasionally red snapper...but last Sunday I got to know another type of fish that is good for babies/young children recommended by one of the lady fishmongers. Since the few left Tenggiri fish seemed rather 'old' I decided to try the newly introduced fish. I can't recall the name as it sounded very Chinese to me but it does sound something like "nguyen" fish... I'll have to go back to her again to ask for the actual name as the fish meat is really nice with fine and soft texture..especially good for babies who just started on solid :)

Ban on BPA bottles starting March 2012

I just read this on the paper after lunch today...glad to hear that the government is finally going to ban those polycarbonate milk bottles. So yeah..always go for non-BPA milk bottles :)

Ban on polycarbonate milk bottles from next year

By LESTER KONG

Published: Monday March 14, 2011 MYT 1:06:00 PM

PUTRAJAYA: Milk bottles for infants made with polycarbonates containing the chemical Bisphenol A (BPA) will be outlawed from March 1 next year.

Health Minister Datuk Seri Liow Tiong Lai said the Cabinet had decided to ban such milk bottles due to BPA's risk to infant hormone systems.

"The enforcement will be made in stages and the industry is given one year to comply by making changes to their machines and buying new raw materials," Liow told a press conference on Monday.

Enforcement from March 1, 2012, will be done according to provisions in the Food Regulations 1985 under the Food Act 1983.

Liow said the move was in line with the World Health Organisation's recommendations, adding that the European Union (EU) had also made a similar announcement earlier this March to make the ban effective in June for EU member countries.

BPA is used to make baby milk bottles because it made the plastic translucent and stiffer while those without BPA had a less clear and dirtier look to it.

Source: The Star Online

Facecrooks

Much has been said about the pros and cons of Facebook..here's the downside of it if you do not know how to protect yourself...so beware on the danger of FB...

Both taken from The Star Online

EPF: Withdraw savings at 75

Read this article today...we should take it out as soon as we can and put it in ASB or any other channel that gives us better %

EPF: Withdraw savings at 75

KUALA LUMPUR: All contributors to the Employees’ Provident Fund (EPF) should withdraw their savings upon reaching the age of 75.

 This is because no contribution would be accepted upon contributors reaching that age and no dividend would be paid on their savings.

 EPF Corporate Communications Unit head Nik Affendi Jaafar said contributors’ savings would also be transferred to the Registrar of Unclaimed Monies when they reached the age of 80.

“The EPF is not like a bank. That’s why we don’t encourage contributors to continue saving with the EPF because after the age of 75, we will no longer pay any dividend.

“We will also transfer the money to the Government if it is not claimed when the contributor reaches the age of 80,” he said yesterday.

Nik Affendi was asked to comment on the confusion relating to EPF contributions after members reach 75. — Bernama

Children education fund

Frankly speaking, I always thought that funding the children education is usually from either the usual hard earned money that we put in our saving accounts, buying education fund via insurance companies, education loans from banks, grow your money via varios investment schemes etc..But it never crossed my mind to buy property as another option to fund the children education ...to buy as their future homes yes but never thought it could be used for their education purposes too where you are able to buy and sell just like shares..pardon my ignorance heee....Anyway, I find these two articles by Carol Yip from the Start Property an interesting read especially on the "Part 2" and on the financial education bit ...do read on if you want to know more ;p

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Investing towards your children's education fund - Part 1
Ever wondered how our parents paid for our undergraduate education? Some of us attained our degree without our parents’ financial help, but it is safe to say that majority of us had help. For parents who had saved and paid for their children’s education, they worked hard and saved from their hard earned money. Some of them knew how to multiply their savings by investing in businesses, properties and shares, yet others merely kept their savings in the bank’s fixed deposits. Regardless, sacrifices were made to place us where we are today.

Nowadays, we face different challenges from those of our parents. Our more affluent lifestyles bring other concerns and worries about our future financial sustainability, including the ability to pay for our children’s education. It is obvious that we need to hedge our savings against the increasing cost of living and education costs for our children, but we don’t really know how to. Coupled with the unpredictability of interlinked global economies and fluctuating financial markets, we have a confusing mix.

Although we can use various financial formulas to project and calculate our children’s future education costs, there is no magical way to predict or compute accurately. There are many unforeseen situations such as:

a. Foreign exchange differences/fluctuation of future tuition fees and cost of living at college/university.

b. Rise in cost of inflation of the country where the children will reside for their education in the future.

c. To buy or not to buy a car when the child is ready to go to college? To buy an apartment nearby the college for child’s safety or to pay rental? If you decide to purchase property, where will the money come from – education fund or separate savings?

d. Unclear about the type of education that the child wants – local or international school, local, twinning or overseas degree? Is a Master’s degree necessary in 10 years’ time? Do future job markets demand higher education for an entry job?

Human nature when it comes to investmentsThere is a certain irony about being human. We have almost limitless amounts of financial information and know-how available in the market place, including financial advisors to provide advice. Yet still, some parents struggle to save and invest for their children’s education fund. Why is that so? Here are some of my observations:

a. Procrastination to look for ways to save and grow money.

b. Refusal to learn investment skills, financial education and literacy to grow savings and investment portfolio.

c. Fear of taking risks.

d. Not conducting regular reviews of savings and investment growth, at least on an annual basis.

e. Using the wrong investment products/strategies and realising it too late when there is a need to cash out.

f. Not increasing the absolute amount of savings to the education fund to cater for the increase in education costs and inflation rate.

g. Experiencing panic when discovering that savings is not enough. Unless the earning capability increases as the children gets older, it is better to be frugal in spending and save more as early as possible.

It is understandable that children’s education is important for parents and no parents are willing to risk their life savings in investments that will not give the required growth to pay for future education costs for their children. Hence, it is a continuous effort for the parents to keep a close eye on the choice of saving and investment strategies.

No amount of financial education and advice can help unless parents work on their personal finances via ‘hands-on’ money management and investments.

Investment strategy that suits youYour chosen investment strategy must suit your life’s situation and your ability to manage investment risks because it is a lifelong pursuit until the child is financial independent. You should nurture your investments with appropriate investing strategies to maximise capital appreciation. Possible styles include:

a. Choosing an investment product has capital growth and income yield over the long-term—property investments, shares with dividends, etc.

b. Choosing a portfolio that consists of several types of investment assets that you can buy and sell for investment returns over a period of time—properties, unit trust, shares, gold bars and alternative investments.

c. Choosing capital growth—business investments, company stocks, blue chip shares or private placement, venture capital investments, etc.

Since there are many possible investment choices, there is a need for a regular review of your investments’ growth. Constant review of the money set aside for your children’s education when the child begins his or her secondary level is important and more so when he/she progresses into Form 3 onwards. Even if the child is in college/university, continue to review your investment portfolio yearly. If the amount of growth is not according to the current trend of education costs increase, then you may need to restructure and/or find better investment alternatives. Continue to find ways to make more money when there is still time to do something about it.

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Investing towards your children's education fund - Part 2

Property investments for your children’s education fund
You can save towards purchasing property as an education fund for your children in the future. Here are some tips.


1. Monthly saving, which is supposed to be saved for the education fund, can be used for loan repayment.


2. Select a well-located property for capital appreciation and rental income:


i. Rental income can be used for housing loan repayment while you continue your regular savings to build up a bigger pool for your children’s education.


The additional savings can be invested into other investment opportunities to grow your children’s education fund. You can create a diversified portfolio of investments to spread the investment risks.


ii. When there is a need to pay for children’s education in the future, 18 to 20 years’ time, the rental income can be used to pay for your children’s expenses when they are in college or university.


iii. When there is capital appreciation, the property can be sold for a lump sum (after housing loan settlement) to pay for your children’s tuition fees and monthly allowances.


Be creative when you invest in properties:


1. Buy one property for each child. It can be an apartment, house, shoplot or office – provided that it gives good returns.


2. Invest in a shoplot where you can rent out different floors or buy blocks of apartments or commercial offices for different sources of income.


3. Properties that are not sold for payment of education fees can be reserved for your retirement. It can even be given to your children as their wedding gift so that they can stay near you at your old age.


Financial education at home: Team work between you and your children
The ‘real value’ of investment is actually your children. They are your ‘lifetime investment’. The greatest return is when they value you as their parent more than money can pay for their education.


It is a team effort for the family – communicate with your children when you review the investments for their education fund. This way, your children are aware of your challenges and commitment towards having enough to pay for their education. At the same time, you are teaching them about the importance of financial planning at an early age.
Providing continuous career guidance and assessments when your children are growing up is important to ensure that you have invested your hard-earned savings in the right education. It is better to assess which career the child likes. Why pay for an education that they are not interested in? Make the right choice.


If the amount saved is not enough when it is time to pay for their education fees, there is a need to look for other degrees within your affordability limits. Your child has to keep in mind both the lump sum (tuition) fees and the monthly allowance required during college or university so that they can work with you to manage the limited savings for their education needs.


Financial stresses can affect your child’s studies. Your child needs to understand and live within these limits. If the issues are communicated clearly and approached as a family unit, a matured child will strive to study harder and find solutions for any financial difficulties. Scholarships, and/or a part-time job can help to relieve the financial burden.


Other important aspects of parenting:


a. Family lifestyle and values


The kind of lifestyle that parents expose their children to at a young age can impact how they behave in college/university. Parents have to think of the lifestyle that they have given to the children because it will directly affect how they spend their money.


Parents need to differentiate the savings for child’s education and lifestyle – like getting them a brand new car or secondhand car. The child needs to understand the priority of going to college/university is to get a degree and not enjoy a lavish lifestyle. They should take the public transport/share transport with college mates if they have to.


b. Teach your children about financial education – it’s free


Constant financial education and communication with your children about how to manage money at home is important. You and your spouse should advocate a frugal lifestyle – spend wisely, save smartly and quickly pay off any debts.


Soon, your child will understand that:


i. What is not used up for their education fund can be used to buy their first house or car. Money not spent comes in handy when they start their career and for your retirement.


ii. If there is insufficient money, they will know how to manage the limited resources and find ways to fund their education such working part-time to pay for their own living expenses or tuition fees. It is about knowing how to appreciate the initial financial support to embark on an education path.


iii. If there is a need to take a loan for their education fees, the child knows he/she is responsible to repay the debts.

In summary, even if you feel that it is the parent’s responsibility and obligation to give your children an education, it is just as fulfilling when you educate and teach your children important family values and good money management skills. These are important life lessons and skills that are not taught in our education system. So, teach financial education at home to prepare your children for today’s materialistic world.

Budget 2011:Abolition of import duty on 300 items...

.....The items include apparel, handbags, shoes, shampoo, suits, children’s apparel, wallets, hair colourants, golf balls, imitation jewellery, talcum powder, curtains, table cloth, blankets, bed sheets, shirts, undergarments, lingerie, nightwear, perfumes and mosquito netting...

Is this good news or bad news to you?? As for me, its both bad and good news...bad for my pocket (more shoppings!!!) but good for being able to afford better quality products ;p Now...I wonder if the price for this be reduced any soon...

I so loikey the color and the patent material combination...make it affordable please...yeah...another wishful thinking again ;p

Baby poo

Yeah...I know the title doesn't sound appropriate but if you're a new mom or even experienced mommy the topic is quite a relevant topic especially if you have a constipated baby in your house ;p

I supposed all babies will go through this phase whereby they will experience some kind of constipation occasionally...sometimes your baby doesn't poo for a few days which sometimes really there is nothing to worry about especially if you're breast feeding...but other babies have to struggle hard while doing their big business to the extend you can see their faces turning so red and you may have to help them ...sometimes you may even see some blood stain on his poo/ diaper...which will definately rings the panic button!! Which parents wouldn't right!!

Well, in Eli's case, it is not so much of no bowel movement for days..in fact he does poo poo almost everyday..the only thing is that his stool can be quite hard at times..we even have to help him at times as I'm afraid he will hurt his anus (pardon the language as my mind is blank and can't really thinkg of a political right word to use hee...) if we don't...this started when he starts on solid...unlike Ethan who loves water, Eli doesn't take much water...so that probably is one of the reasons...we started giving him pureed fruits such as papaya which helps a bit though...and started giving him water using spoon instead of the bottle...we have also started to give him green leafty vege such as spinach too...as of last nite...his poo still a bit hard...if you have gone through the same thing with your baby and have found a solution, please do share with me will you? :)

Anyway I got the article below from Abbott Malaysia and thought its a good article on constipation for my own reference and for the sharing...

What to Do When Your Child Has Constipation

How to recognize constiation

Hard and dry stools are the main symptoms of constipation. If your child has not had any bowel movement for 3–4 days, or strains when passing motion which consists of hard, dry stools, it's likely that your child is constipated. It gets even worse when your child’s stomach gets bloated, he/she is easily fatigued, refuses to drink milk or water, and the anus starts to crack and bleed when passing motion.

Causes of Constipation

1.Fluid intake

There is a direct relationship between the hardness of the stool and how much the intestine can withhold. Especially in the first six months after your child is born, he/she will easily get constipated due to the relatively small size of the intestines and loss of fluid. Fluid loss may occur in more obvious forms like sweating, passing urine and less obvious forms such as through the skin and breathing. Even in air-conditioned rooms, one can still lose fluid, which is one of the main factors leading to constipation. Try placing a pot of water in the room to keep the air moist. Also, make sure your child drinks plenty of water–if your child does not like drinking plain water, you can try to add some glucose.

2. Fiber intake

As your child grows older, you will start feeding him solid food, which slows down the speed in which stools pass through the intestines. During this period, water retention inside the intestines will increase, and if your child's fiber and fluid intake is insufficient, this will increase the chances of getting constipation. Therefore, when you start feeding your child solid food (around 4–6 months old), start with food that's less solid. When your child is 7–8 months old, feed your child with brown rice porridge which contains more fiber than white rice porridge, and fruit pulp rather than fruit juice. To effectively prevent constipation, feed your child with fiber-rich fruits and vegetables such as papaya, mango, banana, spinach and cucumber, grounded to a pulp.

3. Accumulation in the intestines

Even with a fiber-rich diet and plenty of water, constipation may occur due to a change of environment and missing the urge to defecate, resulting in stools staying inside the intestines for an extended period of time. When water is lost, the stools become hardened, blocking the intestines. That’s why when your child has an urge to pass motion, let him go to the toilet. Otherwise, you may need to see a doctor to treat the constipation when it gets worse.

Temporary constipation and change in bowel movement

If your child suddenly changes his bowel movement habits, or reduces his/her need to pass motion, it is normal if due to the following. After a short period of time, when your child’s intestines slowly get used to the changes, his bowel movement will return to normal. However if not, you may need to consult a doctor. Frequently seen causes leading to changes in bowel movement:

•When your child changes from breastfed milk to formula milk
•When your child starts eating solid food
•When your child switches brands of milk
•When your child’s appetite changes
•When your child’s dietary intake changes

Solving constipation problems

1. Feeding your child to stimulate bowel movement

The stomach has a very unique attribute–the stomach colon reflex. When food arrives at the stomach, this will stimulate intestinal peristalsis and ease bowel movement.

2. More water, fruit juice and soup

When constipation occurs, feed your child more water, fruit juice or soup. Especially fluids with high osmotic pressure, for example a 5-gram packet of glucose powder with 50c.c. water will stimulate bowel movement.

3. Fiber

For children who no longer treat milk as their main source of food, select fruits and vegetables rich in fiber such as spinach, tomatoes, sweet potato leaves, broccoli, burdock, guava, dates, pears and mangos. Grind these into a rich pulp and feed children younger than a year old. Such rich fiber dietary intake is good for bowel movement, especially date juice and date pulp.

4. Yogurt

If your child is six months old and has constipation, you may try feeding him some yogurt to help bowel movement.

5. Check if protein intake exceeds regular consumption

Avoid adding protein supplements into your child’s milk, to prevent constipation caused by protein overdose. Remember, water is the most important method to solve your child’s constipation problems. If fiber intake increases while water intake stays the same, your child’s constipation will get worse.

Some misunderstandings

Some mothers are worried that constipation problems are caused by milk that is unsuitable for their children. After changing milk brands, a few of the children get better, but most of them have deteriorating conditions. What’s going on? In short, different brands of milk have different ingredients. When your child switches to a different formula, the constipation seems to go away, however after the adaptation period, the constipation problem recurs again. Otherwise, some mothers use fatty food to feed their children in order to relieve constipation. Often, this will result in diarrhea. Most doctors and healthcare practitioners do not suggest using this method.

How to handle an emergency

If your child’s constipation has been going on for 3–4 days, there are firm, hard stools present at the anus, and you have already tried all sorts of food therapy but to no avail, you may try the following methods:

•Apply some Vaseline or cold cream onto a paper stick, cotton bud or anus thermometer, and gently prick around the anus to stimulate it.

If there is still no bowel movement, gently stick the thermometer 2cm deep into the anus for continued stimulation. After milkfeeding, due to the reflex of the stomach-colon, it will be easier to pass motion.

•Bowel cleansing.

This is a last resort for emergency occurrences but mothers need to ensure this does not become a habit, or else your child will slowly lose the urge to pass motion. Especially for children below 1 year old, you may need to seek help from medical personnel.

The above information is about the causes of constipation and ways to relieve it. If it is still unable to solve your child’s problem, please see a doctor immediately.

30 Ways To Cut 100 Calories

Something interesting to read especially if you're trying to loose some weight ;p

30 Ways To Cut 100 Calories

Why French women don't get fat..

I was taking a short break from work and was reading an article when this "The French Paradox: The Reasons French Women Don't Get Fat" article grabbed my attention. I did a quick read and below are the reasons why French ladies are forever slim...

• French women eat 'good' fats rather than 'bad' fats
• French women savor their food
• French women eat fresh
• French women eat regular meals and don't snack between meals
• French women indulge -- in smaller portions
• French women drink plenty of water

Basically, its all the dos and don'ts of healthy eating though it is easier said than done eh ;p If only I have such discipline in following such regime hee...but then again I guess it is easier when it is already a part of our daily life or way of life/ culture like those chic and poised French women...Anyway, its a good practise that I hope to 'master' one day ;p

Baby Development : 1-6 months

This chart was taken from Babycentre.com for my own reference to monitor Eli's development:

Milestone Chart : 1 - 6 months

Child's Age: 1 month
Mastered Skills (most children can do):

• Lift heads - yes
• Responds to sound - yes
• Stares at faces - yes

Emerging Skills (half of children can do):

• Follows objects - yes
• Ooohs and ahhs - no
• Can see black and white patterns - yes

Advanced Skills (a few children can do):

• Smiles - no
• Laughs - no
• Hold heads at 45 degree angle -no

Child's Age: 2 months

Mastered Skills (most children can do):

• Vocalises sounds - gurgling and cooing - yes
• Follows objects - yes
• Holds head up for short periods -yes

Emerging Skills (half of children can do):

• Smiles, laughs - yes
• Holds head at 45 degree angle - no
• Movements become smoother - not sure

Advanced Skills (a few children can do):

• Hold heads steady - no
• Bears weight on legs - no
• May lift head and shoulder (mini-pushup) - no

Child's Age: 3 months

Mastered Skills (most children can do)

• Laughs - yes
• Holds head steady - not quite
• Recognizes your face and scent - I think so and especially his grandma's voice

Emerging Skills (half of children can do)

• Squeals, gurgles, coos - oh yes indeed!
• Recognizes your voice - yes
• Does mini-pushups - have not seen or let him try

Advance Skills (a few children can do)

• Turn towards loud sounds - yes
• Can bring hands together and may bat at toys - bat at toys or his milk bottle
• Can roll over - no

Child's Age: 4 months

• Mastered Skills (most children can do)
• Holds head up steadily
• Can bear weight on legs
• Coos when you talk to him

Emerging Skills (half of children can do)

• Can grasp a toy
• Reaches out for objects
• Can roll over

Advanced Skills (a few children can do)

• Imitates speech sounds baba, dada
• May cut first tooth

Child's Age : 5 months

• Mastered Skills (most children can do)
• Can distinguish between bold colors
• Can roll over
• Amuses himself by playing with hands and feet

Emerging Skills (half of children can do)

• Turns towards new sounds
• Recognizes own name

Advanced Skills (a few children can do)

• May sit still momentarily without support
• Mouths objects
• Stranger anxiety may begin
• May be ready for solids

Child's Age: 6 months

Mastered Skills (most children can do)

• Turns towards sounds & voices
• Imitates sounds, blows bubbles
• Rolls in both directions

Emerging Skills (half of children can do)

• Reaches for objects and mouth them
• Sits without support
• Is ready for solids

Advanced Skills (a few children can do)

• May lurge forward or start crawling

May jabber or combine slyllabes

May drag object towards himself

Reflux

Baby Eli has reflux. It is a common condition experience by about half of young babies from 1-3 months old. Some of you like myself may not have heard about it especially if your babies never had such 'problem' before. So let me just share with you what reflux is just for general knowledge.

As defined by Baby Centre,

" Reflux is what happens when your baby's stomach contents come back up into his food pipe (gullet or oesophagus) or even into his mouth. The long name for reflux is gastro-oesophageal reflux disease.

Babies get reflux because the muscular valve at the end of the food pipe, which acts to keep food in the tummy, hasn’t developed properly yet. This means that when your baby’s tummy is full, food and acid can come back up. This can cause him to bring up small amounts of milk (possetting) or even vomit.

During the first year of your baby's life, the muscular valve gradually gets stronger and better at keeping food down, so his chance of having reflux decreases. About half of babies will get some reflux during their first three months, but it’s only a real problem for a small percentage of these. By 10 months only about five per cent of babies have reflux (CKS 2009, Rudolph et al 2001).

According to Eli's paed and from the readings I did on reflux or GER, it is not a health problem that we should worry too much. Your baby is ok as long as he/she is a happy spitter and is growing well despite the vomiting/ spitting. However, mum being mum I still worry whenever he vomits especially when it is a lot that it will come out from his nose at times too. Most of the time he is a happy spitter except when the vomit comes out from his nose. He will get angry and starts to cry. It's heart breaking to see him getting upset then or even if he is not upset...which mothers won't right..I'm also worry if he has enough food since he does vomit out some of the milk...when we went for his 2nd review indeed he has lost weight and was back to his 1mth weight...he was already about 5kg when he was 1 month plus but during his 2nd month review he was back to 4.5kg :( But I guess that was due to the heavy vomiting initially...but now that the vomiting has tone down a bit and he started to take in more milk (from 60ml to 90ml per feeding) hopefully he will be back on track soon...

Anyway, I've noticed that the reflux on him started only from week 6 ..it was quite bad initially whereby he once vomited through his mouth and nose 3 times in one particular day... when we brought him to the doctor, he was given only one type of medicine to control him from vomiting too much...his paed said health wise, he is ok...it is only the reflux that is causing the vomiting...he said it is a phase (for babies 1-3 mths) that he will go through and will get better as he grows...his paed told us that the vomiting will still come back but as long as it is not too much like more than 3 times in a day that he vomits through his nose then it is ok...a few small vomits in a day is fine according to his paed...so with that in mind I pray that his reflux will subside soon...and indeed it has subsided a little... he still vomits now and then...sometimes a few times but at least so far (keep fingers crossed) he only vomited once through his nose in any particular day... so til his symptoms subsided or disappear completely, we need to stop and burp him more often on every feed and will need to keep him in an upright position for about half an hour after each feed before laying him down in his cot...sometimes he will make a bit of noise in between his naps which sometimes I think it is because he feels uncomfortable and need to be burped...and most of the time when I do carry and put him in an upright position he does burp :) So far his record is 9 times of vomiting/ spitting in a day...but I've read on the internet some babies can vomit/spit up to 20 times a day!!

Some friends who experienced the same condition for their babies gave anti regurgitation formula to their babies but I haven't resort to that yet (though I've bought a small can of Novalac AR formula and a bottle of Dentinox the anti wind/ colic infant drop as standby)...I've changed his bottle teats to anti-wind/ anti colic types to reduce air bubbles though...

Oh well, as frustrated and tiring (lack of sleep in the nights as I worry he will vomit or worst get chocked, a lot of changing, cleaning and laundry to be done...in fact some doctors described this condition as a "laundry problem" rather than a "health problem" as the baby is not having any health problem..just an immature digestive system...) is this reflux thingy is causing me, I'll just have to put up with it for a while for now... just as long as my baby is happy and healthy ... that is all that matter to me :)

Read this article from Babycentre if you want to know more about reflux and here is another article on 14 steps to help improve a baby's reflux for your own reading pleasure and reference :)

Hair cut problem for your lil' boy?

If you're like us who has a bit of difficulty to persuade our lil' boy to go for a haircut, you might just want to try or to consider a child friendly or rather a lil' boy friendly hair saloon in Millenium. Well, I guess even if you don't have problem bringing your toddler for a hair cut, you can always bring your lil' boy(s) there for a bit of hair cut fun too ;p

We got to know about this particular shop thanks to my SIL. The shop is near CKS Millenium and in between Dr. Kissey Clinic and I-Ching Bakery shop. So far we've patronized the hair saloon twice and are pleased with the friendly service too :)

His first time at the shop b4 Xmas...the owner and her mom and staff were very friendly and managed to make Ethan feels at ease on the car. And finally allowed the hair stylist to cut his hair. Here him with a pack of biscuit thanks to the owner's mom :)

Ethan 'complaining' to the hair stylist that the hair made his hand itchy ;p (He refused to wear the apron..so we had to keep putting talcum powder on his neck and hand to avoid him itch all over ;p)

Can't recall what Ethan was telling the hairstylist..

This was Ethan's second visit to the hair saloon b4 CNY...we had to wait for about 5-10 minutes to persuade him to go on the car and play with it before the hair stylist could proceed to trim his hair ;p Here him warming up with the car...he even asked for his sunnies. Such a vain lil' boy eh ;p
Busy vrooming away...

Vacinations for your children

This is just another useful article for my own reference.

We have of course given Ethan all the mandatory jabs and we have also given him additional ones including chicken pox, pneumococcal (after 12 months - 2 jabs), JE (pending his 2nd jab) and Hepatitis A. We however did not give him the Rotavirus vaccination as his paed said it was not necessary especially when he was already above 12 months then. His paed also did not stress the need to go for the influenza jab as it does not really help much as there are just so many types of influenza around.

WHICH SHOTS TO GIVE?
3 August 2009 By BRIGITTE ROZARIO
Taken from Parenthots

Do you know what shots your child is getting annually? In Malaysia, parents are given a schedule of vaccinations that their children should go for. Most parents take their children for the mandatory vaccinations without knowing what the shots are for.

Paediatrician Dr Sanjay Woodhull explains that on top of the mandatory vaccinations, there are also the optional ones. Doctors would normally advise parents on which optional shots their child should get based on the child's medical history.

MANDATORY SHOTS:

Vaccination: BCG
Age: At birth
For: Prevention of tuberculosis
Worst case scenario if you don't get the shot: You can die from TB.It usually affects people whose immune system is compromised, mainly those with cancer and HIV.

“It will prevent to a large extent severe tuberculosis. That means tuberculosis of the blood and the brain. It will not prevent TB of the lung. We don't have anything better for it. It may to some extent help TB of the lung but in most cases, not.

“Some parents don't want to give their children the BCG jab simply because it leaves an ugly scar but I think it's important and TB is a big problem nowadays. It is estimated that almost a third of the world's population harbours the bacteria. It will be a problem when your immune defences are down. That's when it starts to flare up.

“In the past we used to vaccinate the BCG at birth and screen children at school entry and we used to give the second BCG vaccine when they were 12 years of age. We have stopped doing that. Now there is only one BCG vaccination for life. Sometimes for some children there is no scar formation. If we don't see a scar we repeat the BCG otherwise there's only one jab for life.”

Vaccination: Hepatitis B
Age: At birth, 1 month and 5 months
For: Prevention of Hepatitis B
Worst case scenario if you don't get the jab: You can get liver cancer.

“Hepatitis B is endemic in Malaysia. It is transmitted the same way that HIV is – via blood, sexual intercourse. It affects the liver so you get hepatitis, chronic liver damage and jaundice. 10% of carriers will end up with cancer at some point in their life. There's no cure for Hepatitis B.

“We routinely tell parents that if any of their family members – mum, dad or anyone else within the same household – has Hepatitis B, then after the routine vaccination, all the family members, plus the child, need to be checked to ensure they are protected against Hepatitis B. That's the only time we will check the blood. Otherwise, we won't bother checking the blood for Hepatitis B. We just assume they are protected against it.”

Vaccination: The triple (Diphtheria, tetanus and Pertussis) and polio
Age: 3-dose schedule (2-3 months, 3-4 months and 4-5 months) with booster shots given at 18 months-2 years and 5-7 years. In total, five shots.
For: To prevent against diphtheria, tetanus, pertussis and polio
Worst case scenario if you don't get the jab: Diphtheria and tetanus can be fatal. The child might have to be ventilated for pertussis. Polio can affect the lungs, heart and kidneys.

“These are all pre-war diseases. We still have them in Malaysia and throughout the world. People who get diphtheria are those who are not vaccinated against it. We can see it in our illegal immigrants or well-educated parents who oppose the idea of vaccination.

“Diphtheria basically is a bacteria which is soil-bound and it can go through your respiratory tract. It causes a membrane swelling to your throat and if it affects your wind pipe, it can actually block it up and you can die from that. It also releases a toxin into the blood which is harmful to your nerves and heart. It is a disease you can prevent but it's life-threatening.

“Tetanus is lockjaw. Again, you can get this from cuts, bruises and it is soil-bound. It causes muscle spasms, paralysis and seizures. So, it is something you can prevent as well.“Pertussis is whooping cough. It's a problem in children who are not vaccinated. Children under two months who get pertussis can get it bad. They can end up in the ICU and needing to be ventilated. They cough and cough and cough until they stop breathing.

“The old name for it is the hundred-day cough or the three-month cough. Whatever we do, the child will cough for three months. The treatment for pertussis which is an antibiotic will only prevent pertussis from spreading to another child but once you've established pertussis you can't do anything about it.

“You can only treat and support the child while the coughing episode gets worse and typically that starts around the second week where the coughing gets worse and worse and lasts for about two to three weeks before it gets better.

“Polio is one disease we are trying to eradicate in the world. We used to give oral polio vaccine. I think in some government hospitals they still give the oral polio vaccine but in most private hospitals we give the injection.

“Oral polio vaccine is a live virus but a weakened virus. You can get polio from that. But the risk is very minute – one in a million chance. That's the disadvantage of oral polio vaccine. In the United States they only see vaccine-associated polio, they don't get wild polio. So that's why they have also changed theirs to injection polio vaccine from oral vaccine.”

Vaccination: Haemophilus influenzae B
Age: Given with the triple in three doses and the booster is given at 1½ years
For: To prevent against Haemophilus influenzae B
Worst case scenario if you don't get the jab: The child could die from meningitis

“This is a bacterial infection. Haemophilus influenzae B is the commonest cause of pneumonia and meningitis in children. (Meningitis is an infection of the brain covering.) Prior to the year 2000 it was a huge problem for Malaysia. The introduction of this vaccination has made a big difference. We hardly ever see meningitis caused by Haemophilus influenzae anymore.”

Vaccination: Measles, mumps and rubella
Age: After one year old. This is given in two doses (at one year old and at school entry)
For: To prevent against measles, mumps and rubella
Worst case scenario if you don't get the jab: Measles can cause death. Mumps and rubella can cause encephalitis (inflammation of the brain).

“Measles – the symptoms we are familiar with are high fever, some rashes, maybe a bit of conjunctivitis, cough and flu. For most people who get it, they're fine in a couple of days. But for about one in 1,000 children, measles can cause encephalitis – brain infection. That's brain damage and it's permanent. Measles can cause death. It can cause bad pneumonia. About one in 250 or 300 children with measles will get pneumonia.

“These are viruses for which there is no treatment. The care is all supportive; that's why it's important to prevent.

“Mumps may be known for the swelling of the glands but it can also cause encephalitis – the brain infection which you want to prevent. Mumps can also cause infection of the testes in males and that can lead to infertility. That's why you want to prevent it and the only way to prevent it is with the vaccine.

“Because we give two doses of the measles, mumps and rubella vaccine, girls at the age of 13 years do not require the shot anymore. But if you're going through the government schedule then you will need the rubella shot at 12 or 13. In Malaysia, the rubella vaccine is mandatory for girls.

“Inadvertently sometimes the child might go for the extra shot because they've got their shots at the private hospital and then they follow the government schedule and get another shot. It is safe to get the extra shot. It is not going to cause them harm. It is just an extra boost. It isn't necessary but no harm.”

RECOMMENDED SHOTS:

Vaccination: Influenza
Age: Given annually
For: To protect against influenza
Worst case scenario if you don't get this jab: Child gets influenza

“The strain keeps varying. Every couple of months it varies. Personally I think giving influenza vaccine routinely for children may not be so beneficial simply because the influenza outbreaks here have two peaks and it keeps varying from year to year. Some years it makes a difference and some years it doesn't.

“So we tend to be selective. We give it to children who have problems – kidney problems, lung problems, heart problems – if they were born with it or if they just have bad lungs and heart whereby if they get influenza they can be significantly unwell.

“The recommendation as it stands is to vaccinate all children between six months to five years of age. After five years you don't require it unless you have heart, lung or kidney problems. And children with asthma have been added on to this recommendation but I explain to parents that if I think the asthma is well-controlled it is up to them. If I think it's not well-controlled I would recommend giving it.”

Vaccination: Chickenpox
Age: One jab for life
For: To protect against chickenpox
Worst case scenario if you don't get this jab: In rare cases it can cause encephalitis or affect the lungs.

“Many parents think chickenpox just causes a few spots, no big deal. Rarely, it can affect the brain and cause encephalitis and chickenpox can affect the lungs. This is usually seen in extreme ages – in the very young and the elderly.

“The chickenpox vaccine itself can prevent 95% of children from getting chickenpox. The 5%-7% will still get chickenpox in the future. However, if they do get it it's usually just a few spots, nothing severe. It will certainly protect the brain and the lungs. That's really why we give the chickenpox vaccine, not so much for the scars.

Vaccination: Pneumococcal
Age: Given as three doses in the first six months and the booster after a year. Can be given with the triple shot.
For: Prevent against pneumonia, meningitis and infections
Worst case scenario if you don't get this jab: Can be fatal

“The other optional vaccine that we are currently recommending is the pneumococcal vaccine. It's almost RM300 per jab. Pneumococcal is a bacteria and it is the second commonest cause of meningitis and pneumonia in children next to Haemophilus influenzae. Since children have been getting the Haemophilus influenzae vaccine they hardly get meningitis and pneumonia. If they do get it it's usually from the pneumococci bacteria.

“To prevent it, you get the vaccine done. It contains seven strains of the commonest pneumococci bacteria. Some parents can't afford it because it is expensive. Some parents opt to give it after a year so then they just need two doses. Or some parents opt to give it after the child's second birthday when they get only one dose which is adequate.

“It is fine to delay it a bit but you are only protected after you get the vaccination. I always explain to parents that the first two years are when the risk is highest to get the disease. “The pneumococci bacteria cause ear, brain and lung infection.”

Vaccination: Rotavirus
Age: It is given in three doses, a month apart. Given with the triple shot.
For: To prevent against rotavirus infection
Worse case scenario if you don't get this jab: Child gets diarrhoea

“This vaccine was introduced about six or seven years ago initially but it was taken off the market because of concerns of intussusception where the children's intestines telescopes in itself and it causes bowel obstruction. The risk of getting that was very minute but nonetheless the Government saw an increased risk of it so they stopped it. And they re-introduced it a couple of years ago, about three years ago. The new vaccine is safe; it shows no problems at all.

“Rotavirus is the commonest cause of diarrhoea in children under the age of three years. “This vaccine is given in the form of drops in the mouth.”

Vaccination: Hepatitis A
Age: Above the age of two, given in two doses, six months to a year apart.
For: Protects for life against Hepatitis A
Worse case scenario if you don't get this jab: Liver damage

“Hepatitis A is usually food borne. It is very uncommon for kids to get it because most children don't eat out. We tend to see it in teenagers. But we would advise parents definitely before going to school to get the Hepatitis A vaccine. It's endemic in Malaysia so you want to consider getting this jab.Hepatitis A can cause liver damage. Jaundice, fever, vomiting and tummy upset are the typical symptoms. It usually lasts about a week and then it gets better but bad Hepatitis A can cause permanent liver damage. And there's no cure for it so prevention is advisable.”

Conclusion

When a child is vaccinated, the common side effects are typically fever, a bit of pain, a bit of swelling or soreness. That usually lasts about a day or two.

The side effects from the MMR vaccination is a bit different. While the child would have similar symptoms of fever, it would only occur after a week to 10 days.

These symptoms typically last about one or two days. They shouldn't last beyond that.

According to Dr Sanjay, some parents are reluctant to vaccinate their children because they think vaccination causes autism. “This is because of a study published in the late 1970s or early 1980s in Britain which suggested a possible link between the measles vaccine and autism. If you were to Google measles and autism you would find many sites telling you that the measles vaccination causes autism, and many parents swear by it.

“Following that one reckless study, many studies have come out showing that there is no link between the measles vaccination and autism,” he says. Confirming that there is no link between vaccinations and autism, Dr Sanjay says it is safe to vaccinate children against measles. Dr Sanjay adds that another concern for parents is the presence of mercury in vaccines and whether the mercury content can cause long-term damage. He explains that the amount of mercury present in vaccines is so minute and even that the vaccine manufacturers have now taken it out so almost all vaccines now don't contain any mercury. The last worry that parents have regarding vaccines is whether there is a risk of overloading the child's immune system.

“What we are giving is antigens – dead organisms or particles of organisms. At one time when you vaccinate the whole series, for example if you take the routine ones plus the optional ones at one go, they will get between a maximum of 10 to 15 particles at one exposure. Typically a child is exposed from a couple of hundred to a thousand of the similar particles a day in their environment. So, that extra 10-15 particles won't make a difference. It is not going to overload the immune system,” he explains.

While parents can delay getting their children immunised, Dr Sanjay advises against too long a delay.

Mom's 9 health rules: True or not true?

While enjoying parenthood, have you ever wonder the truth behind the health rules passed on to us from our elderly inclulding our mom dearest? I bet like myself you must have heard not only from your mom, but also from your PILs, aunts, uncles, grandmas etc on what you should and shouldn't do in parenting.

Well, I came across an interesting article entitled "Your mom's 9 health rules" which actually answers some of my doubts on those health rules. I guess with new research and developments some of the old scool of thoughts on health rules are no longer applicable. Our mom meant well but we ought to keep ourself updated too to ensure we're giving the best to our children. Having said that, I've always trust my mum's health advice simply because I know she reads articles/ books on health (especially children's health as she used to look after her eldest grandchild i.e. Uaua fulltime and now her other grandchildren when one of us goes outstation) and watch health programmes on Astro :)

Anyway, let me share with you in brief what the article says:

1. Mama always said : Eat more! Kids are starving

Not true. According to a paediatric nutrient from Washington University School of Medicine, feeding should be based on appetite and not to be judged by an empty bowl/ plate. She said this is to help the children to stay attuned to their feelings of satiety (condition of feeling full) thus avoids future overweight problems. She added, healthy options should be allowed when they are hungry and stop when they are full.


2. Mama always said: Don't sit so close to the TV - you'll ruin your eyes
Not true (BINGO! A question I've been wanting to find out the truth has been answered!! ). According to the American Optometric Association, children can't harm their eyes by watching too close to the TV screen. It may however cause eyestrain which could lead to headache said a pediatrician in Dallas. Headache doesn't worsen your eyes but it is uncomfortable. For healthier viewing, we are to remind our children not to watch in total darkness as the darkness contrast will worsen the strain. They should also be 10 feet away. But if they keep on gluing their noses to the TV screen get their eyes checked.


3. Mama always said: Don't read in the dark
True. Reading in the dark will cause eyestrain which could lead to intermittent blurred vision and headaches especially if kept at a prolong period. However, all these symptoms can be resolved with rest. Nevertheless if it is a habit it could speed the onset of nearsightedness especially those who are genetically predisposed. For healthier habit, encourage children to read under at least a 60 watts of light and remind them to read at arm's length and to take frequent breaks.

4. Mama always said: Don't frown, you'll get wrinkles

True. Even laughing can give us wrinkles. But there's no way to avoid it nor any reason to try. The best we could do to protect our kids future faces and skin is to load our kids with SPF and encourage healthy stuff like vegetable.

5. Mama always said: Sit up straight

True. Slumping over puts major pressure on the back, shoulder and neck. It will also prevent the lungs from completely filling. But as nagging kids to sit up straight is frustrating, a better option is to try and let them stay active to strengthen their muscles and alignment.

6. Mama always said : That music is too loud!

True. It can cause future hearing loss. If your children likes to have their tunes up, ask them to take a break every 20 minutes. You could also get them a noise cancelling headphones to drown out background noise. It will make them less tempted to turn up the volume.

7. Mama always said: We're having dinner together cause that's what families do

Not quite true. More like being able to monitor the kids are eating balanced meals. Nevertheless, it is a great way to connect. But if your kids always response with a word, try to let them ask you questions instead or you could ask them specific questions like what made you laugh today? What was the nicest thing someone did to you today? What was the nicest thing you did today? You might be in for a surprise with their answers.

8. Mama always said: Eat your breakfast!

Very true. Breakfast is the most important meal of the day. Study shows that children who have breakfast perform better in school. Most breakfast foods are excellent sources of calcium, fibre and iron. But if your child is a picky breakfast eater, have them grab a handful of raisin, some dry cereal, or some left over pizzas to nibble on when they are ready.

9. Mama always said: Put on a coat, you'll catch a cold!

Not true. What you will get in the cold is ....just cold. Some research suggest that prolonged exposed to chilly temperatures will dampen the immune system because it puts strain on the body. But it does not make one sick. Only cold and flu viruses cause illness.

Baby massage anyone?

Ok, I got this info from my SIL, Lisa yesterday and thought I should share it here for those who are interested :)

Workshop topic: Baby Massage

Date: 26th July (Sunday)

Venue: Tang Dynasty

Organizer: Johnson & Johnson

Entrance fees: RM20

For registration and more info kindly call toll free 1300880566

Ba if anyone going do share tips and the materials in your blog later ok ;p at the mean time here's an article about the benefits of baby massage.

Fun filled activities for 2-year-olds

I was taking a break and was browsing at one of the local news papers i.e. Borneo Post when a particular article caught my eyes. The article was entitled "Activities for Two-Year-Olds" (Borneo Post, Nature & Health, pp8-9, 4 July 2009). According to the author and I supposed many other child experts, at the age of 2, the hand-eye co-ordination, motor movements and speech are in developing stages. Hence, activities that will help the child's motor skills, linguistic skills and overall development would certainly benefit the child in the long run. And read this, kids at this age LOVE TO BE MESSY!! Oh no...there goes your nice furniture and walls!! ;p

Anyway, the author had highlighted 8 fun activities for such purposes and they include:

1. Kitchen activities
Get a tiny table and chair set for your child. Provide large plastic bowls, spoons, plates along with real food like bananas, cornflakes and milk. You could show your child how to peel a banana and let him/her peel it on her own - am fine with the bananas and cornflakes idea but milk?? I can imagine the mess on the table, floor, everywhere and I doubt if I could handle that hehehe...but I guess I'll just have to learn to let go and loosen up a bit ;p

2. Play dough activities
You could either buy playing dough from the shop or DIY at home. Playing dough is very simple to make and all it needs is some flour, water and food colouring. Making a DIY dough will not make you apprehensive about the health and safety of your child - this sounds fun :)

3. Gluing activities
You could put bits and pieces of different wrapping papers into a cardboard box and ask your child to glue them onto a large sheet of paper.Tip: Tape the sheet of paper on the table/floor so that it doesn't interfere with the pasting. Glue sticks are less messier - you can also make a DIY glue at home by using corn flour and a lil' bit of water..

4. Colouring & painting activities
Prepare large thick uncovered non-toxic crayons and a perhaps a few pieces of papers that you tape them together to make one big piece on the floor. You could draw different shapes and figures for your child to colour in. Hand painting can be done too. Just prepare a bowl of child friendly paint for them to dip in and get their hand impressions on the paper - fun but not sure if I would allow this knowing Ethan may decides to "paint" our wall instead ;p

5. Bath-tub activities
Fill the bath-tub with some water and provide containers, plastic bottles and other bath-tub toys to keep your child entertained. You could also provide your child with his/her doll to give a bath in the bath-tub. You could even let him/her wash some of the doll's clothes - hmmmm...the clothes washing will be a good training eh hehehe...perhaps can let them play bubbles too :)

6. Throwing activities
This will help to develop your child's motor skills. Just crumple some newspapers or papers into medium-sized balls and ask your child to throw the balls into a waste bin. Adjust the distance of the waste bin according to your child's throwing ability. Alternatively you could use colourful balls or have a small tower of blocks at one end of the room and have your child roll a ball to break the tower - bowling games can be introduced too ;p

7. Sorting activities
Sorting coloured blocks and balls. Place all the blocks on the floor and ask your child to sort them according to the colours. You could provide boxes to sort the four colours. Alternatively you could use blocks in different shapes - sounds interesting

8. Tea parties
Organize tea parties. Invite her toy friends too. Dress her up for the party and let your child make sure each toy is seated has a drink. Some snacks can be prepared too. A photograph session would be good where you can ask your child to pose with her toys - more suitable for the girls ;p

Talking about activities..here are some pictures showing busy lil' E doing his 'thang'! ;p