Mommyhood : How I choose a daycare/preschool

I lived in the city center and in an apartment hence I don't really know the community of my surrounding.. so for me the best choice is to send my kids to daycare while I am working. So when I was pregnant with my first child back in 2012, i already started to look around my neighborhood for her daycare. Although all of the sudden my parents in law were transferred near me (amazing twist of fate, i know!) and they agreed to take care of my baby, I didn't stop looking around for the right daycare. Here is my criteria:

1) Most important - trust your gut feeling

I always believe mothers has amazing instinct.. so trust your instinct. In this case I was blessed to have a husband who trust me in every decision regarding the kids.. coz sometimes it is unexplainable. For example I always eyes this one daycare, however it has not much review in the internet.. It does not even have proper signage either.. however I checked it was registered with JKM. So I just called and make appointment, apparently on the day I came I was not allowed to go inside coz it was mealtime for the kids. At first of course you had your own thoughts including the negative ones.. but my intuition said i made the right choice. And it didn't happen overnight... so my point is trust your motherhood instinct.

2) Registered and well equipped

Well I do think this is most important part but I really want to stress on the gut feelings hence this point falls to no 2. Make sure the daycare you choose is registered with JKM, has a good carer to kids ratio, and if possible equipped with cctv.

3) 2 weeks probation

Be extra cautious and sensitive for the first two weeks.. look out for ways of of the carers interact with the kids. Also make sure your kids are happy and feel safe when they go to and back from school. Well, small kids usually cried within this period just because they are in new surroundings and being separated with you.. but they will feel at ease gradually if things go well.

4) Either near to house, or near to office

I do believe the location of the daycare must be either near to house or near to office. Avoid choosing a place too far as it will bring trouble later (traffic jams, unexpected circumstances, sudden late meetings etc)

My kids in their year end concert (Festejo Navideno) for their daycare & preschool in Mexico

5) Communicate with the carers

Respect the carers as they are important people in your life - they take care of your child for God's sake. Pay OT as per needed and required, never delay to pay daycare fees. Communicate  often and create a bonding of trust. Most of the school organize a meet up with the parents every few months which is a great avenue to learn about our kids' progress. For the preschool we attended in Mexico, they even organize a playgroup that involved the parents once a month to encourage parents' engagement with the kids' learning.. I love to see how my kids lit up whenever they see me and their daddy joining them to do activities at school.

When your kids grow older, they are more variety of preschools available. Sometimes you are lucky to get a daycare that cater from babies to 6 yo, but preschool usually starts at 4yo to 6yo. I am personally attracted to play based and Montessori methods preschool.. while we like our kids to enjoy play based school, it is natural to prep the kids to essential learning skills like reading and counting at 6 yo. so up to you to choose what do you want and like. So far my experience was all good.. I satisfied with all daycare and preschools I chose for my kids, among others are Brainybunch and Kinderkaizen to name a few.

Hope this helps!

When In Mexico : Dia de Los Muertos

Another important cultural celebration that we learnt in Mexico is the celebration of Dia de Los Muertos (Day of the Dead). It happens after Halloween, usually on 1 and 2 November every year. The people believe that the spirit of the dead people will come back to visit the family on these days.. a fellow Mexican told me 1 November is where the older spirit come, and the babies and kids spirit come on 2 November. During these days Mexicans will visit the graves of their loved ones and make altars with their dead family photos and food that they loved at their houses. Ever seen the orange flowers that commemorate the day? The flower's name is cempasuchil. Some people (especially the American expats) celebrate Dia de Los Muertos with Halloween hence they prepared for a trick or treat event for the kids.. also usually there is a big parade to celebrate this day at Avenida Reforma and Zocalo.

Amna's school requested each student to bring a cempasuchil to decorate their altar

Amna as skeleton girl

                                                              Alea wants to join too!

The kids are ready for trick or treat

                                           We dressed up to watch the Parade at Avenida Reforma

When In Mexico : Birthday Piñata!

 Previously, I was not really fond of celebrating birthdays for my kids.. usually it was just a small family event with a cake and a birthday song. However, living in Mexico changes the way I look at birthdays!  Every birthday MUST have a piñata, it is as compulsory as the cake and the birthday person. Luckily the price is not too expensive, a decent one cost about RM10-RM100 depending on the size and shape. Once I even thought to open my own piñata shop when I am back in Malaysia.. 

Adni's 4th birthday in 2018

Adni's birthday in 2019

Alea's birthday in 2020

When In Mexico : Typical school days routine

[Nov 2019, Polanco]

My typical morning routine consist of waking up for my morning prayer, heating the kettle and preparing lunchboxes for my kids. Although the kindergarten provides food for my kid, she did not fancy Mexican food and too shy to try new things.. so while preparing for her older sister, I prepared hers too. Usually a lunch box consist of fruits, biscuits/small choc bar and main dish - either pasta, rice or nasi himpit. Then the older kid is ready, and I escorted her downstairs to the lobby so the school transport will send her to school. Well, since the winter is coming, chill breeze greets us when we get outside so best to get ready with that jumper or sweater.

Then I wake the smaller kids, gently cause the last thing you want in a busy school day routine is a kid's tantrum! Many times especially when daddy is not around, I need to prepare the breakfast with a small toddler hugging my knee..or some days I laid her blanket on the kitchen floor so she can just watch me preparing the food.It is so cold outside, around 12 deg C hence the kids usually did not have a morning bath.. just a brief wash of the face and body and brushing the teeth.. that's it. The kindergarten usual uniform is the school shirt and pants, but my kid always hate them.. she usually looked forward for Friday, which is a non uniform day so she can wear her favorite princess dress. Then, only I get dressed to send them off to school.

In front of our house foyer 

Previously I took the Spanish class which was held 3 times per week, I was on my third semester already (Basico Tres).. when it was the Spanish class day, I would walk for 20 minutes from the kindergarten at Calle Julio Verne 18 to the language center. I went to the CEPE (Center of Foreign Students) which is a part of a renowned university of Mexico, the UNAM. It is actually a small center on Calle Hipolito Taine where the foreigners enrolled for variety of Spanish classes including the general ones, spoken Spanish classes, and even cooking classes in Spanish. Usually per semester we will have about 15 classmates from all over countries, mostly ladies who followed their husbands to Mexico for work. The language center is also near a shopping mall, Liverpool hence it is a plus point for me, yeay! Each class usually took about 2.5 hours, then I will rush home for a quick lunch and prayer before I fetch the kids from school at 3pm.

Jacarandas during spring on the park

During the days when I do not have any classes, I will go back home with the school transport or walk back when I feel like I need a break and enjoy the fresh morning air. It was a lovely walk through the Lincoln Park, then the lines of cafes, fancily called Polanquito (small Polanco) before I reach the Avenida Masaryk. Sometimes I got my coffee fix from one of the cafes- usually Joselo or Starbucks or NY Coffee (my, their cappuccino is the bomb!)..and someeetimes a sweet treat from a small artisan panaderia, Da Silva and walk through the parks, row of expensive houses or the tiny shops until we reach home. Once or twice a week I would stop by at Soriana Supermarket to get my grocery needs. I really love the supermarket as it is very near to my house and it opens 24 hours daily
! Also most of supermarkets here has their own in house bakery hence I'd like to get the freshest bread or doughnuts in the morning for my quick breakfast...but if I have free time I would search for the best panaderia (bakery) for the best breads or croissant in town!

Antara shopping mall always have pretty decorations

The kids come home from school at around 3pm, usually I finished all the house chores and food preparation before that. After the kids come home, it is either free play, visit to the playground or the tiny park downstairs or swimming class, or piano class for them. There are many teachers that offer classes at the comfort of our own home hence it is perfect for a family with small kids like ours. We were lucky to have an English speaking piano teacher, Hector who is great at teaching beginners and small kids, and we also adore Julio, the swimming teacher that does not speak English but we do communicate well with my broken Spanish haha.

My kid and her piano teacher

Then the kids washed, had dinner while waiting for daddy to come home from work and share their daily activities. Every Friday night, we go to the Malaysian Embassy for religious classes and Malaysian class.. this is actually a weekly activity for Malaysians to meet ups with scrumptious Malaysian themed potluck! My mouth watered already by thinking of the heavenly food cooked by the embassy ladies...

Going places : Quick tour of central Ciudad de Mexico (CDMX)

 Ciudad de Mexico (CDMX) means capital of Mexico.. a very colorful city which always being misunderstood by outsiders. Thanks to its high altitude, the weather is always cool and chilly all year long. You may notice the changes of four seasons but never too extremely hot or cold.. it is just nice and perfect for a daily stroll or bicycle ride. If you are a first timer, this is a list of must go places in central CDMX:

                                                    Aquario Inbursa - similar to Aquaria 

1) Polanco : Avenida Masaryk, Lincoln Park, Museo Sumayya, Aquario Bursa

Stroll around the posh Avenida Masaryk street lined with designer boutiques and artesanal stuff. Have a coffee or visit the morning market (every Saturdays) at Lincoln park. Walk a bit to check out the Antara shopping mall (it has a public play ground infront of Hamleys), Museo Sumayya and Museo Jumex. Bring your kids to enjoy the fish at Aquario Bursa.

2) Chapultepec : Park, Zoologico, Chapultepec Castle

Check out the huge Chapultepec Park for a picnic, a jog or even a boat ride. There is a train inside the park for you to enjoy the scenery and a merry go round to entertain the kids. A lot of local merchandise and food are sold here. Don't forget to visit the free public zoo.Also visit the Chapultepec Castle up on the hill to learn about Mexico history and enjoy the view.

Outside Palais de Bella Artes

Inside!

Pretty wall at Calle de Condesa (near Calle de Madero)

Calle de Madero is always alive !

3) Centro historico: Zocalo, Palais de Bella Artes, Calle de Madero, Avenida Reforma, Ciudadela

Get on the Avenida Reforma towards Zocalo by car or the various tourist buses to enjoy the historic and modern buildings assimilate together. Stop near Palais de Bella Artes (Palace of Beautiful Arts) and enjoy the many historic buildings around it. Walk through Calle de Madero (Wood Road?) to find small shops selling beautiful handcrafts and rows of coffee shops... at the end of this road you will find the famous Zocalo - a place where they declare independence and a center of various celebration. This place resembles Dataran Merdeka and its colorful, historic buildings around it. A MUST SEE. And its free! If you're looking to buy souvenirs, go to none other than Ciudadela, you can find all sorts of souvenirs here.

4) Condesa & Roma Norte

These two are photo worthy places which are lines with lots of hipster coffee shops and bars.

Some traveling tips :

1)Best public transport to stroll the cities will be the hop on hop off buses and metro line buses. 

2)Rent the public bicycles to enjoy the historical buildings and amazing views. 

3)The metro subway train connects most important places in the city but beware of pick pockets.

4)Wear your most comfortable shoes and clothes - usually shirts, jackets, jeans and sneakers are sufficient

5)Always check the weather forecast! The weather changes are sometimes quite extreme in CDMX.

6)Always alert with your surroundings - either from unwanted bad attention (thief, pickpocket) or the earthquake alert (sismo). Be in a green zone (safe zone) when you stroll around this humongous city. Best to keep yourself at the touristy places and avoid the shabby and small alleys

7) Learn few basic Spanish language ;) it may be extremely beneficial for you.

When in Mexico : Just arrived and reality check

 When I first step on the soil of Mexico in April 2018, precisely in the capital, Ciudad de Mexico (CDMX) my first impression is ' Wow, nice weather!' thanks to its high altitude location.And since we just completed a grueling 30+ hours flight journey with one transit (KUL-LHR-MEX) and 3 kids in tow including a 45 days old baby, we just skip the amusement later and focused to cure our jetlag..

Luckily the company provides a decent apartment in the heart of Polanco, a nice neighbourhood in CDMX... wikipedia describes Polanco as this :

Polanco is an affluent neighborhood in the Miguel Hidalgo borough of Mexico City. Polanco is an upscale community, famed for its luxury shopping on Avenida Presidente Masaryk, one of the most expensive streets in the Americas, as well as for the numerous prominent cultural institutions located within the neighborhood, such as the Museo Soumaya and the Colección Jumex. Polanco is often called the "Beverly Hills of Mexico", having one of the country's densest concentrations of luxury shopping, with the most Michelin star restaurants, high-net-worth individuals, upscale hotels, and diplomatic missions and embassies. Additionally, it is one of the most desirable real estate markets in Latin America.

Well, I must admit the neighborhood is pretty cool and most locals and expats living here are loaded with money (us excluded). I like the fact that there is a 24 hours supermarket located at ground floor of our apartment, a posh branded boutique mall beside our building and many green parks around us.. also I like the fact that most people walk or ride bicycles everywhere. They have an efficient public transports like buses and metro,but if you're a first timer and outsiders please be more aware of your belongings as you can be easily spotted - not by your looks though because our skin complexion might be quite similar with Mexican, but the fact that you cant speak their language and also if you wear tudung like me.

After few days, the reality hit me. As this is my first time actually living abroad, i just realized that visiting foreign countries is NOT the same as actually living in a foreign country.. I immediately realize the challenges - language barriers, security and safety issues, lack of halal food and muslim community, not many Malaysians around, different culture and high living cost..the list goes on and on. Additional challenge for me to adapt with my just habis pantang baby! Overall it took me 4 months to battle my emotional issues.. I settled down when my kids are safe in school, even the baby went to school when she was 5 months old, and this mommy joined the bandwagon of newly enrolled students! Yay! 

I enrolled for Spanish class mainly to talk to my kids' teachers and also for other domestic chores as well like buying groceries and ordering food. This was when I felt like human again, enjoying my me time before the chaos begin again when I fetched the kids from school at around 3pm. Good thing is the language centre, CEPE was also in the neighborhood, about 20 mins walking or 10 mins on bike.

As time goes by, more Malaysians were coming hence we made more friends, some even turned family. Our weekends were filled with jalan2 inside and outside the city.. or small gatherings among ourselves... i will furnish the jalan2 part more later...

After 2 years, we started to feel at ease with our routine here.. but of course never a day passed without me thinking about Malaysia, my families, the food and my job that I left temporarily... 

to be continued😎

Breastpump comparison

 I've been using few breast pumps for the last 8 years and thought this comparison might be useful for new mommies out there.. well, actually the best breast pump for you should address all your priority needs.. so identify those first, then only choose. My priority features are double electric pump, compact and mobile.

1) Medela freestyle double electric pump

This was my first pump and obviously most expensive.. I bought this just because there were not many brands available 8 years ago.. the big names were just Medela and Spectra at that time. So I choose this since I need a double pump to pump at work. So far it is quite durable and reliable too.. however by the 5th year the battery was dead but I still can use it with power point.

Pros: Durable, double pump, sleek, pretty, good suction, has 2 funnel sizes to choose, long lasting battery time, comes with a chic bag n cooler bag, has hands free clip feature

Con: EXPENSiVE! Last i check the price is about RM2,000.Many parts so leceh to wash and assemble, quite noisy

2) Avent manual pump

I bought this as back up incase my Medela has issue.. but dont really like it coz produce low yield and need strength to pump it.. or maybe i just dont know the correct way to use it! guess manual is really not for me😛 But few of my friends really like this manual pump.

Pros: Sturdy, less parts hence easier to assemble and wash, cheap

Cons: its manual😂 and single pump

3) Cimilre F1 double electric pump

Since my Medela batteries were dead i need a new pump so i can mobilize and pump anywhere. Bought this for my 3rd kid in 2018.. I actually like it. With quarter of Medela price, I would say it match the performance and yield.

Pros: Easy to assemble, sturdy, less parts compared to medela, light weight, less noisy compared to Medela, cheaper of course, long lasting battery, has hands free feature

Cons: I dont have anything that I dont like about this pump.. the price is quite affordable, i think around RM500 now

4) Treenie Konvito double electric pump

I bought this since both my Medela and Cimilre were left in Mexico and i needed one quickly as my 4th baby was due soon! While naturally people upgrade, i downgraded my pump as I was curious why some breastpumps are too expensive while some are too cheap?? So i resorted to one of the cheapest in the market, Treenie Konvito. I bought at RM129 from FabulousMom recently.I was quite sceptical at first coz apsal murah sangattt.. consult hubby about it and he said try je la, kalo x best pun padan je dgn investment. So i tried. Amazingly it works wonders.. as currently I am a stay at home mom, i just used sparingly to keep some stocks when my baby is left at home for a short while, or to pump when I am out and about..so I just pumped about once per day..it works perfectly for me. With that price I totally satisfied! But if you're a working mom and looking for durable pump for pumping few times a day, perhaps you need to invest on a better priced one. 

Pros: Super cheap!!!! use usb port to charge, quietest compared to Medela and Cimilre, compact size, less parts, easy to wash and assemble

Cons: No timer, no LED screen, no hands free feature, short battery time hence need to charge every 3-4 times usage, only one standard funnel size available.

Hope this review will help those in need😃

All images from google.com

Simple and Easy Choc Chip Cookies Recipe

 I am an avid cookie monster, so do my kids! I've tried many recipes so far but this one is the easiest and most delicious for my palate, I must say. Whenever my kids beg to bake something, this is always my favourite choice :) Hence I'm sharing with you guys.

The best and easiest choc chip cookies recipe

Ingredients :

250g butter 

250g brown sugar

100g granulated sugar

500g flour

2 eggs

500g blended oatmeal

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/2 teaspoon salt

200g chop chips (preferably Hersheys/Beryls)

Cream together the butter, sugar, brown sugar, eggs and vanilla extract - not too long. In a separate bowl, mix flour, blended oatmeal, baking powder and salt.

Then mix both mixture together and add in chocolate chips.

Chill the dough for 20 mins, or sometimes I cant wait and skip this part..

Arrange bite sized dough on a tray lined with baking sheet.

Heat oven and bake for 20 mins at 150degC.

Done!