Posted in Langit Senja, Maternité, Uncategorized

Thirty Four Months

It’s been quite some times after the latest update about the little girl.

She’s doing well alhamdulillah. More words to come, sentences, and many unthinkable words in English that surprised us.  She’s getting friendlier with others, and as I have more working hours since last month, she spent more time with Mbak Wi at home and it has been going better than I thought it would be.

Swimming becomes our monthly schedule and she has made good progress about that. She starts showing more courage to swim without holding on to her father and seems so eager to be in the water. This little girl also has more guts than his mother. She once tried a very high slide in the pool and kept asking for more.

School is soon to be considered after she is turning three next two months. Actually, I have been thinking to wait until next school year on July. Postpone it again? Hm, yes. Another consideration keeps coming about this. Too long to be written here.

Ah, extended breastfeeding still keeps going with less and less session. Telling her everyday, the time is almost really up. This mom is truly lazy when it comes to deal with some avoidable drama. So she chooses to keep breastfeeding instead. Sorry not sorry.

Then, keep healthy and happy, little girl!

Warming up
Posted in Past learning, Thoughts

Another August,Another Lesson

August has been well known as the most unfriendly month of the year for me. Many of real life plot twists take place on this month.

This year August brought its best lesson once again. It showed the truth of the saying, ” what’s not meant to be yours, will never be yours in any possible ways, beyond your calculation”. 

No matter how much and how long you work hard for it, no matter how many advantages you (thought you) had in your hand, it would never be you who decided the result.

A lesson came through this year’s YPC. This one student is a good one, and she was a third time winner in previous YPC. Three times of her participations, she went home with a trophy. She had a break last year for her school exam and re-entered this year.

YPC usually takes place in the beginning of the year. Between February or March. But, this year, it unusually took place in August. Maybe this was the beginning of the twist. 

She chose her song, practiced it well, since May, and around late July, another hint came. Among nine participants in her category, another one would play the very same piece like one she had. 

She was quite taken aback since time for practising was running out. We decided to change the song twice until she decided she would keep going with the first since she felt the most comfortable with that song. She didn’t find this thing a problem. 

She changed her song thrice too for her last competition. It was when I was having maternity leave and she changed teacher three times too. Albeit the short time of practising the new chosen song, she still went home as one of the winners.

This year’s song is October from Tchaikovsky and it was one of my favorite classical pieces. I had prepared this song for her since quite some time once she entered C category. She had some difficulties but still she nailed it. Until the very last day of training, she played very well. I kept encouraging her that she had the very same big chance to win as she did in her previous category.

All she had to do was playing well.

The competition day, she wore a very nice white dress and she looked pretty nervous but I still considered it normal. The boy who played the same piece with her was number three, she was number nine. I told to her to stay away when the boy played. I stayed and listened.

The boy played the piece very neatly, perfect dynamic, and without any single mistakes. But , compared to this girl from what we have during months of the practice sessions, it sounded emotionless. I felt quite worry as well as a bit confidence that she would do better.

I still clearly remembered what happened that Sunday. She started her playing hesitantly. She missed the first most important bar. But, the hope was still there. Then, she made another small mistake, but still kept going. Not for long, then, it happened.

Five years of YPC, maybe that was the first time this thing happened among every category in this competition. The first plot twist happened.

She stopped playing and ran away from the stage while saying, “I couldn’t go on, I really couldn’t do it,”.

She cried. 

I did too inside. 

I knew both of us were totally having a severe broken heart by this circumstance.

She went straight home with her parents. I stayed until the announcement. When it was her category’s turn, I heard the fourth, third, and the second winner from outside the hall and planned to go home. I thought yah, at least the boy didn’t get it too.

I just walked few steps when the MC announced the first winner of C category.

That boy’s name was called.

If only there were something that could describe how I felt on that minutes, I would gladly write it all.

But, there wasn’t any. This second plot twist was beyond my wildest imagination, and it was surely too painful.

We did ALL our best for the last 4 months, every single thing that I thought could help her, we did it everything.

I could still accept she ran away from the stage knowing her pressure was quite high, but the fact that the very same song won as the first winner, yah, it was truly truly heart-breaking.

The rest of Sunday spent silently. Trying to accept everything. Trying to let go and denying once in a while, thinking about some ifs, but finally gave up.

This year was never ours since the very beginning. The best thing was, we bet all our best in this fight.

I was so blessed having this week as the fifth week so no lesson for this week. I knew we both wouldn’t be too ready to face each other this soon.

There’s always a blessing in disguise in every misfortune.

I have my plan to talk to her next week. I hope she won’t be being so devastated about this.

Really, if something is yours, nothing can keep it to make it away. If something isn’t yours, nothing will make it stay.

I learned my lesson. I hope she did too. And we will come back stronger than before.

Thank you (not thank you), August.

Posted in Langit Senja, Maternité

Thirty Three Months Update

Unlike the first two years which each month progress was updated regularly, after she turned two I only do a recap. She’s going three in few months and I think I start having ‘time-flies-so-fast thinking phase already.

She keeps doing well, even exceed expectation if Denver II chart is the reference. She has :

– fully accomplished without accidents toilet training since three months ago (she started at twenty seven months).

– been able to count from 1-20, forward and suprisingly BACKWARD, in two languages.

– recognized all kind of shapes. 

– alphabets, with or without orders.

– been able to sing few songs completely and knowing do-do pitch.

– been able to mention kinds of animals, all colors, things, etc, in two languages.

– motoric skills are good.

– social skill been improving a lot.

– Al-fatihah, Al-ikhlas and five first verses of Yasin are almost done.

– Eating, drinking, taking care her things, doing what has been assigned, sleeping well in her own room, she’s good.

Thus, those above become reasons why I still postpone school. We had visited one of the candidates and after long talk, we decided she hasn’t needed yet. Why? From the discussion with the school person, what they will teach in playgroup level, she has got it and nailed it at home. Almost all.

She even isn’t three and I think, or we think daily school is still too burdensome for her. We have no problem with early morning wake up since we all wake up before subuh and she mostly has had her breakfast set done before seven am. But, sending her to a classroom still can wait for another year.

Motherhood will never be going easier, but for these three years, it’s been quite bearable for me because of many things that help me through this. 

Staying at home most of the time, working only few days for few hours, having no one to interfere my rules to nurture her and having good daily schedule are one of those things.

I am beyond thankful for such blessing and wish to continue having them around.

For the closure, Happy national children’s day. May all children is healthy and happy!

Posted in Maternité, Past learning, Review, Thoughts

Parents’ Dream : A Piece of Lesson from Dangal

I know it’s quite late. Dangal was on the theatre few months ago. But, actually it wasn’t kind of movie which dominated all studios in every cinema like the one with superheros on it. If I am not mistaken, Dangal was only available in very few certain cinemas in South Jakarta.

I finished watching it yesterday with the doctor on Netflix and I have been repeating some of its scenes on my head. A great movie always stays longer on your head and probably forever in your heart. Dangal has those two possibilities.

It was one based on true story about Indian wrestling athlete who once fought for the country for Olympic and had to be satisfied with silver medal. The thirst for gold medal haunted him for a long time until he decided that one of his children should take the same path like him and accomplished what he’d been dreaming of.

It turned out that his first child was a girl. He tried again then the second turned to be a girl too. Until the fourth child, all he had were girls.

One certain conflict trigerred this father to start training his two oldest daughters to become a wrestler. He trained Geeta and Bambita hard. Started early in the morning, trained them like a professional wrestler. These girls, no matter how unhappy they were with their father doing, they kept going with the training. They tried to fail the plan sometimes and they failed miserably.

Although all of his family were against the idea, including the girls’ mother, he kept going. He asked his wife to give him a year to train the girls. If there were no result, then he would give up his dream forever.

I won’t tell a whole story here and of course, the movie goes like we expect. It’s truly worth your 2,5 hours of time watching it. Unlike my husband, I am rarely into a movie. Unlike dramas, movie often makes me sleep.

I survived Dangal from the first minute until its last credit title. Some tissues surely needed while watching it.

————————————————
One of the reasons why I survived Dangal until the very end, and more, even take some time to write a post about this, because it reminds me of some familiar moments.

I was once Geeta and Bambita with a mother like their father. Although the achievement is nothing compared to those girls and their father, I experienced similar things like those two girls went through until the very end. I felt like re-watching my thirteen years of life in the past while watching Dangal.

When the father unachieved dream was about Olympic gold medal, my mother’s was piano. She had been dreaming of being able to play piano for a long time. Until my father gave up one of his Vespas to buy her a decent upright piano. Right after marriage, she started learning privately at home. But, not for long, she was pregnant with me and her pregnancy wasn’t the easy one.

She stopped learning for some time until she had a chance to resume her lesson, after her second child was born. She waited that long. But, again, being a working mom with two little babies were surely not easy. She told me whenever she had her lesson when my sister was sleeping, this little baby suddenly woke up and refused to go back to sleep. Again, she finally had to give up her private lesson.

It wasn’t my mom if she gave up easily. Once we were older, she started searching for a music school to learn. She came to one of music schools in Manggarai, and asking some information to join a piano course. The administrator laughed at her and said they only had and allowed piano course for children age 5-12, maximum, if they hadn’t learned anything before. She came home with a blank form with her.

I was only five when this happened and on my third years in kindergarten due to unsufficient age to enroll primary school. For certain reason, my mother thought it might be boring to spent three years in kindergarten and it was better for me to have something other than school. Then, with such thought, she enrolled me to that music school.

She told me later, if she couldn’t manage to play piano at all, then at least she could see her daughter (and all her children actually. Three of us went to the music school) plays.

Similar to the father in Dangal, she too didn’t have the support from her husband, my father. My father was against the idea thinking it would be burdensome to pay for another bill while it wasn’t compulsory. There were three of us already. For an ordinary government employee, supporting five people was surely hard already.

But, again, it wasn’t my mum if she gave up easily. She stood firm to her decision, told my father that she wouldn’t ask a penny from him to pay the monthly tuition. Luckily, she was working and had her own money too. She even told him, she wouldn’t bother him about sending me to the school. She would take all the responsibilities about this.

She really meant what she said. I still remembered clearly, she sent me to the music school in a bright hot day, by public transport, while bringing her two other children along. My brother was only one at that time.

We walked from home to the nearest public transport stop, about fifteen minutes, put my brother’s stroller in a small warung, then got on a mikrolet until terminal and changed to bajaj to the music school. It went the same for the return trip. Bajaj until terminal, a mikrolet until the residence gate, took the stroller from the warung and walked home. She had been doing that for at least five or six years until my father started to take part in our music course.

I couldn’t imagine how she kept surviving all those hassles,bringing three little children in a hot bright day, by public transport,  twice a week, for a mere 20-minutes piano lesson. Yes, TWENTY MINUTES ONLY EACH LESSON TWICE A WEEK. For this part, I think my mother won a big time over Geeta and Bambita’s father.

She might not be able to train me like the Dangal father, but she never skipped any single lesson for whatever reason. If there were any, I couldn’t remember it at all. It was very similar to the father who never skipped a single morning and afternoon training for his daughters. Although she couldn’t play at all, she accompanied me practising at home. Made a practice schedule daily and sat right next to me.

Similar to Geeta and Bambita, I wasn’t too happy too with such training. It was hard and I came to tell my mother cried and said I wanted to quit. But, she kept telling me to go on and said to finish what I had started.

I won’t repeat the whole story about this since I have written an old post about this here. What I want to point is what my mother and this Dangal father did.

Unlike the recent parenting trend where parents are told better not to push the children to do something related to their ambitions, both parents were doing the opposite way.

I think, with the right nature and nurture, parents who push their ambition, as long as it is something good and worth fighting for, it could give the children something beyond what they could think of.

For many aspects in life, parents know better. They could see something beyond what the children could see. Sometimes, they have to drag the children to the roughest path for them to be able to find a great treasure. But, what some parents forget is they have to go through the same rough path as well and not letting the children go alone.

If it weren’t because of her father, Geeta and Bambita would never ever felt such great feeling standing on the highest podium, with a gold medal on their neck, while hearing (and singing) their national anthem played in a world sport event around the world. Not only for their own pride, but the gave the glory to their country.

Mine was surely very far from what they achieved. But, the feeling of accomplishing something well after long and hard years of trainings, litre of sweat and tears, days and weeks of lack of goodnight sleep, ton of patience, determination, and strong persevereance, I was lucky to be able to feel such feeling thanks to my mother. One of the best feeling I have ever felt in my life.

Dangal told you something about raising a (champion) child : There’s no easy way to avhieve good results in parenting. If you feel it’s easy and relaxing, then it’s almost certain that you are not doing it right.

The children might have hard times to keep up with such parents. But, what I came to understand after being a parent, it was the parents who have a harder and the hardest times. Watching the father massaged the girls feet while they were sleeping, cooking them chicken so they could have more protein to fight well, staying close to the national camp so he could train them early in the morning, booking a whole cinema to watch all Geeta’s matches so he could analyze where she failed, and many more.

My mother had been through the same thing and might be harder. When Geeta and Bambita were surely talented, it wasn’t the case for me. No matter how often harsh comments she received from the teacher about how untalented I was, she swallowed it all and kept going.

Whenever exam period came, she woke me up at 3 am and accompanied me to practice until subuh. Then, twice a week, she sent me to the music school at 7 pm for repclass and my father would pick me up at 12 am. Midnight. For a whole two months every year. She was with me to go through everything until the very end.

I surely have a big doubt if I will be able to keep up with such boldness to my own children. To fight myself to do something right over something easy is a hard work. Even if I feel I have already done and tried hard, sometimes it is just myself who wants to justify the less-effforts work I have done.

So, If you haven’t watched it, Dangal is a recommended one to spend 2,5 hours of quality time with your family. It’s absolutely on my a must watch list to watch it with Langit later insya Allah.

Happy watching!

Posted in Langit Senja, Maternité, Past learning, Thoughts

THR Anak

Salah satu momen lebaran yang paling ditunggu waktu kecil itu pas dapet THR. Wangi uang baru yang mengkilat itu salah satu bau yang paling enak selain bau airport. Apalagi almarhum kakek saya pensiunan pegawai BI. Ngga usah lebaran, tiap main ke rumahnya, kantong baju kokonya penuh dengan uang baru. Receh ngga masalah yang penting baru dan wangi, dan kita hampir ngga pernah pulang dengan dompet kosong.

Di keluarga saya, ada tradisi yang paling tua dapet lebih banyak dari yang lain. Semakin muda ya semakin dikit. Saya kombinasi cucu paling tua dari anak tertua. Mantap bener kalo udah lebaran. Bedanya sama yang paling kecil jauh. Beda nominal uangnya😄

Saya berapa kali memperhatikan orangtua yang anaknya masih kecil dan belum ngerti uang menganggap jatah THR anak itu adalah untuk orangtua. Saya agak janggal dengan ini.
 
Dari dulu, sejak saya sadar arti dan jumlah uang, semua uang yang didapat itu pasti masuk tabungan. Ibu saya buat tabungan untuk kami bertiga masing-masing. Saya inget banget itu di bank pemerintah bisa buat tabungan dengan nama anak dengan QQ orangtuanya. Jadi, setiap lebaran atau ulang tahun semua uang yang kami terima ngga ada yang masuk ke orangtua saya. Semua masuk ke tabungan masing-masing. Boleh diambil seperlunya kalo ada yang mau dibeli.

Menurut saya memang seharusnya seperti itu ya. Itu bukan punya orangtua. Dikasih jelas ke anaknya. Jadi, buat saya agak aneh kalo ada orangtua yang ‘ngambil’ THR anaknya hanya karena anaknya belum ngerti atau cukup umur.

Sejak lebaran pertama Langit tiga tahun lalu, semua uang yang didapat saya masukan satu tabungan yang jarang diotak-atik. Meskipun masih pakai nama saya, tapi hampir semua uang di dalamnya uang Langit. Rencana saya ketika dia sudah ngerti uang, akan saya buatkan tabungan sendiri. Tahun ini jumlahnya sudah lumayan banget. Karena ngga pernah dibeliin apa-apa juga. 

Tapi, sejak beberapa hari lalu, saya pikir kenapa harus semuanya disimpen terus. Mungkin akan lebih terasa kalo dia juga bisa nikmatin sesuatu dari uangnya. Saya sudah tau kira-kira baiknya dibelikan apa. Cuma kurang tau persis harganya berapa. Saya ngga mau dibelikan mainan kecil-kecil yang cuma berakhir dipretelin dan rusak gitu aja. Budgetnya agak tinggi ngga masalah karena jumlah uang yang udah disimpen selama tiga tahun pun lumayan. Yang jelas ngga dihabiskan semua.

Saya jarang belikan mainan karena ngga tahan berantakannya. Biasanya juga abis dibeliin, mainin sebentar, bosen trus udah. Makanya lebih rela beli yang ngga mahal dibanding yg murah tapi cuma jadi remah-remah. Boneka sama sekali ngga pernah. Semua boneka pasti karena dikasih. ‘Mainan’ paling banyak yang saya semangat beliinnya buku karena memang Langit juga suka.

Rumah saya hanya sekitar 10-15 menit dari pasar mainan anak-anak yang terkenal tapi belum pernah sama sekali kesana sampai kemarin. Setelah cek di internet harganya lumayan, kami putuskan untuk coba cek di pasar ini kalo aja bisa lebih murah.

Ternyata ngga banyak yang jual. Setelah datengin beberapa toko dan dapet rekomendasi ternyata hanya dua toko yang jual. Toko pertama jual 200 ribu lebih murah dari toko kedua. Biarpun saya memang udah niat, tapi kebiasaan pasti pas mau beli mikir lagi. Biarpun ini memang uangnya Langit dan yakin dia bisa nikmatin dalam jangka waktu yang cukup lama, bisa dimainin bareng-bareng juga kalo sepupu-sepupunya datang. Jadi sebenernya nilai tambahnya cukup banyak.

Akhirnya abis baca bismillah berapa kali, dibayar juga. Lega. Liat muka Langit abis dipasang dan bisa dimainin tambah lega. Apalagi ternyata ada mainan lain seperti ring basket dan xylofonnya. Dua hal yang Langit suka juga. Makin ngga nyesel udah beli. Seneng banget rasanya beli sesuatu yang dia bisa bener-bener nikmatin.

Hasil dari THR tiga tahun berubah jadi tiga hal yang Langit suka : perosotan, basket, dan xylofon.

Hal lain yang juga jadi nilai plus dari pembelian ini adalah ngga perlu repot-repot nungguin playground TK depan rumah buka buat main perosotan. Juga ngga perlu ke taman buat main basket sama abg-abg. Semua senang.

Jadi, meskipun space rumah lebih sempit, tabungan lebih sedikit, tapi hati lebih penuh. 

Selamat main, bayi kecil!

Posted in Langit Senja, Maternité, Thoughts

A(n) (Un)Confident Mother

I had been and might still have been the title with the letters in the bracket since the beginning of motherhood. Being a mother without very least help from the elders, without my own mother, pushed me to go beyond what I could think I was capable doing of.

After 2,5 years, I am slowly heading to the title without the letters in the bracket. Watching Langit grows healthily and happily makes the confidence level is slowly going up. For a pair of mother and daughter who rarely meets others like doing playdate,etc, I rarely have comparison with others. So, basically, Langit is going according to my standard. Not others.

In her 30 months, I just realized that she is doing slightly better than others for certain parts. When I was talking to my sis in law whose daughter only two weeks apart from Langit, she said that Langit has been quite advance in her language. I don’t reallu know what should be a normal 2,5 years toddler acquire, but this is Langit’s :

– Counting 1-20, plus in a reverse way.

– Recognizing almost all colors. She loves purple and pink.

– Recognizing alphabet letters from A-Z, even when we were not going in order.

– Singing a complete few songs with the right tune.

We traveled for homecoming and challenged ourselves to let her travel without any diapers and she did it. Three days traveling without any single diapers and no accidents. She has already done well at home. But, we hadn’t been brave enough to travel without diapers before. So, we tried this one and she did it!! I am very proud of you, baby girl. And of course, you too dear self.

The trip also shown the improvement of her social skill a lot. For an introvert whose strength is not through meeting people, this year homecoming gave another surprise about how much she has improved. She played here and there without me and her father, hugging and kissing her cousins comfortably, not goes same with adults though. But still, she was doing way much better. Her grandma was busy showing off her here and there by continously asking here things, numbers, colors, etc. 

I start wondering maybe the time for school is getting near.

————————————

I hate being an unconfident mother. Saying this because I was in that position once when Langit went to the baby class when she was 15-18 months. I felt what I had been doing all day and everyday were useless. 

Knowing she couldn’t adjust well to the classroom situations, while others’ child did, it gave me anxiety like piano exam. Watching other families enjoyed the activities instructed well, while I was busy chasing her and there. Not happy. I felt more like a nanny than a mommy.

That was why, right after I decided to stop going to the class, I told myself to stop comparing and looking at others. But still, keep in line. When she was really late, then we did something too.

There’s never been anything instant in my life. Guess it goes the same in raising Langit. When other mothers with similar child age still deal with No-Eating phase until this time, I am confidently say I don’t. I have been bragging too much about this before. The way Langit eats everything, not a session of Gerakan Tutup Mulut happened to me, etc. Exaggerating, perhaps?

I was not. 

But, I would emphasize about how I have been through a year full of feeding battle and hassle. Those scary days, three times a day was a nightmare. When feeding time came, don’t ask how heavy this heart was. But still, quit was, is, and will never be in my dictionary. I kept going EVERYDAY, dealing with all those feeding hassles three times a day. 

When others mom might have given up thinking there was no need to push, babies would ask for food later of they were hungry. I have fully understood that this kind of statement had more wrong than right.

Eating is a learning process and it takes quite amount of energy to do it for a baby. We teach a little human being whose knowledge about food and eating is zero. They have to learn to distinct the flavours, munch and swallow the food by using their jaws, and many more. Eating, like any other learnings, is tiring for the baby. That is why patience is needed in a big amount during feeding.

There were times I really wanted to give up, but then I knew, once I did it, the second time would be much easier. Then, I would end up giving up one of the most important things a child should get from her parents : the best nutrition in her golden years. Dealing with ‘makan diemut’ for hours seemed to be a better choice than losing.

When this phase was finally over, I couldn’t be happier. Yes, like happiness that won’t last forever, hassle and sadness are doing the same.

I was quite proud to see her among other children in my husband family during homecoming. She showed her manner well, saying thank you and sorry properly, cleaning her own mess, eat properly, rarely being cranky, and with those ‘look-smart’ counting in English, color naming, alphabet and things pointing, no wonder her grandma kept showing her abilities to almost everyone. Though, she’s not the type who enjoys a big full attention to herself, especially from adults. 

It feels good knowing that you have been doing a good job. The best part of choosing to stay with the baby, you can take credits for the good result shown. 

Don’t be too happy. It goes same thing when your baby shows something unpleasant, then you please take the credits too. What his or her parents doing will be the first that jumps into others’ mind when they see something unpleasant from the baby.

We all judge. No exceptions.

Sometimes, it feels hurt watching the baby slowly grow up right before my eyes. Yes, days are slowly. Years are the flying ones. Since I am living days with her, so it both feels slowly and quickly.

I feel like I will continue being both titles in the future years. The job isn’t going easier and smoother as she grows up. But then, as long as I can, I am heading and will be doing everything within my power, towards the title without the bracket letters.

Among those full of istighfar days in raising a child, there are also days when you feel so happy and grateful having motherhood (and parenthood) as one of the things given in your cards.

Eid Mubarak! Hope you have a blessed and joyful one!

Posted in Langit Senja, Places, Travel

Langit Senja in UK

I don’t know why I couldn’t do the editing on the pictures to write the captions so I just wrote it manually.It was fine before. Nevertheless, keep going to post these baby’s faces during the trip.

Trafalgar Square

St James Park

Manchester Piccadily Station

Anfield Stadium Tour, Liverpool

Old Trafford, Manchester

Manchester’s Air BnB

Sleeping at Vimto Park, Manchester

Ice cream on a cold day in Udderlicious, Islington

Parliament Square, Westminster

St James Park

Kensington Garden Playground


Ready to go home, Heathrow Airport


Thank you for the hospitality, Union Jack. See you again next time!

Posted in Langit Senja, Maternité

Thirty Months Updates

It’s been a while since the last babbling about the baby. I know she is no longer a baby, but still, she is a forever baby to me. Older baby.

Successful toilet training is the biggest milestone achieved this month. Although we had started since the end of last February, but she is only really nailed it recently. It means we had no longer accident, day or night, she can tell when she feels the urge (not like the previously when we had to put her every certain time and told her to pee or poo), also when we go out, she is no longer use diaper too. So now, life is much more easier for this part. Fully toilet trained, halfly saved the precious budget to other things. Alhamdulillah.

Verbal skill is still on progress. Being exposed to two languages at home, she prefers to use the foreign language to refer things around her. Such as using ‘banana’ instead of ‘pisang’, although she knew when we asked her, “banana atau?” She would answer ‘pisang’. Two-words phrase is done and we’re still going and waiting her sentence. We realize she’s somehow late, but since we observe that she keeps improving so far, so we decide to wait and home-train instead of asking outsider help. 

I am not against any speech therapies. But for me, I prefer waiting to interferring BECAUSE we keep seeing her improving. If she hasn’t been doing so, maybe we take another more advance step. Beside, like I have always been doing during my 2,5 years of motherhood, waiting. One that has been saving me from lots of harms and disadvantages. I am going the same with this thing.

School. We consider, again, to wait. I have come to a certain decision that it is still not the time for her to go to school.

Why?

She’s just half ready yet. 

I set certain points about her school readiness. First, I want her to go to school when she’s already fully toilet-trained and it has just been done recently. Second, I want her to be able to help herself doing things for herself. Example? Wearing clothes alone (shirt still on progress, pants done),  wearing her shoes (almost done), putting back things to its places (done), cleaning her own mess (done), helping herself for drink or snack (drink done, she enjoys having water from the dispenser by herself. Over-enjoyed, if I may say. Snack, still not allowed. She still doesn’t know how to stop munching. Eating by herself is halfly done. 

Other than those daily things, I want her to be emotionally ready too. I have been observing her during her social interaction with other kids and quite proud knowing her being quite mature. 

She knows how to play by herself, knows to not take things that doesn’t belong to her, knows how to soothe herself when she misses something, she is careful and quite easy when others are doing something that disturbs her. Like whe  she was playing with a toy and her cousin wants to play with it too, then she just gave it easily. Surely later she has to know when to defend herself, but for now, I prefer her losing for a winning. 

Two of her cousins are the type of ones who couldn’t see when other held somehing that they didn’t, so they would ask for it too. So, whenever they play together, she’s been followed around here and there. When she did something, they wanted to do it too, when she played with something, they usually took one she had. It’s pitiful sometimes, but that is fine. It is only a toy, for now. I told her she could play it again later. The bright side, we know who is the leader here. She decides what she wants to play. Not by imitating others.

We had ifthar jama’i last week and I saw the difference between her and her cousin whose birthday is only two weeks apart from her. The way they handled their anger, the way they ate on the table, the eating manner itself, the way they cleaned their mess, I couldn’t be more pleased watching the differences between her and her cousin, in a (very) good way.

Sounds like an annoying brag, right?😆

It’s a brag of course. Which mother doesn’t brag about her achievements these days? I am just like any other mother.

I also encourage her to practice saying thank you and sorry in a suitable situations. Thank you has been acquired better while sorry, we still have to remind her for that. 
I will feel more ease to send her to school when she has been equiped by the basic life skills and manners she gets at home. I want my and her dad’s rules that become her guide to do well outside. To herself and to others. It’s not the school jobs. It’s ours. 

School can teach other things that, I believe, could be accomplished more easily, like reading, counting, or whatever things they do in school.
Basic life skills and manners, it is and should be on us.

I have been eyeing certain schools within our reach. By our reach I mean the location as well as the budget. Since I am quite knowledgeable in this field, choosing one that suits us better, in any ways, is also important. We agree not to go to those highly expensive famous school, despite the result they offer based on the parents testimonies. 

Her most important education will take place at home. One that she goes outside to is for her to see the differences and goes along, adjust well with it. That is why I prefer a school, until certain grades, which allows her to spend only half day of her time there. 

This is also why I stay at home. One who needs and deserves my most energy is her, not works. I enjoy working part time with such flexible schedules and being apart from her only for several hours. At least, during her first years, I think staying close to your child is the best. 

I had worked crazily enough before motherhood. Seven days a week, in few places, and enjoyed it all. Money was so good of course. Even now, money feels as well good though the numbers are not as big as pre-motherhood. Big numbers are no longer appealing when it means leaving her more.

Okay, time to go now!

Keep healthy and happy, Langit Senja!😘😘😘

Posted in Maternité, Past learning, Review, Thoughts

Puasa Ramadan, Menyusui, dan Olahraga

Sebelumnya saya pernah menulis tentang judul yang sama hanya saja tentang puasa sunnah di sini.

Alhamdulillah hari ini sudah (atau baru ya?) puasa hari ketujuh dan dalam minggu ini saya sempet dua kali olahraga dan masih menyusui. Kenapa mau nulis lagi, karena ternyata dari beberapa kata pencarian di sini banyak yang mau puasa waktu masih menyusui tapi ragu kuat atau ngga.

Puasa Ramadan itu puasa wajib, namun ada keringanan yang diberikan untuk yang ngga mampu menjalankannya karena fisik yang tidak memungkinkan. Ibu hamil dan menyusui (bisa) dimasukan dalam kategori ini, JIKA memang tidak memungkinkan.

Buat saya JIKA ya. Karena, kalau memang memungkinkan jelas puasa lebih baik. Ini tahun keempat saya puasa Ramadan ketika hamil dan menyusui.

 

2014

Tahun 2014, saya sedang hamil lima bulan dan saya berpuasa tiga puluh hari penuh dan lanjut ke enam hari puasa Syawal tanpa berurutan. Di tahun ini, pola buka puasa saya berubah setelah sekian lama. Dulu, saya ngga bisa buka langsung makan nasi. Sejak hamil ini, ketika buka minum teh sedikit, makan kurma, dan langsung makan nasi.

Biarpun ngga seberat itu, puasa dalam keadaan hamil juga bukan segampang itu karena ya lumayan juga bawa perut kemana-mana, kebetulan masih kerja juga di dua tempat seminggu lima kali, tiga hari diantaranya saya keluar rumah dua kali, pagi nyetir mobil, yang siang jalan kaki karena kebetulan tempat kerjanya dalam komplek rumah.

Energi yang keluar cukup besar buat saya, dan kalo buka dengan takjil dulu, nafsu makan saya keburu hilang dan malah bikin perut ngga enak. Makan nasinya jug bukan yang kalap ya, karena emang pas buka tu pas disirem teh anget aja udah terasa kenyang ngga sih? Saya iya😀.

Bisa puasa full 30 hari, saya lanjut puasa Syawal enam hari. Enaknya puasa pas hamil, ngga ada utang puasa! Saya dan keluarga menganut paham untuk puasa Syawal, hutang puasa wajib harus lunas dulu.

Perumpaan bayar hutang puasa Ramadan dulu baru puasa Syawal  seperti kita punya uang lima juta, antara mau sedekah tapi punya hutang juga. Jelas yang wajib dibayar hutang duluan, bukan sedekah. Setelah hutang lunas baru bisa dan boleh sedekah. Beberapa referensi yang saya baca juga menganjurkan seperti ini.

2015

Tahun 2015, saya puasa Ramadan ketika Langit masuk tujuh bulan dan baru awal-awal MPASI. Saya pikir hamil aja bisa tiga puluh plus enam, yang kali ini ngga akan lebih berat harusnya. Ternyata salah. Tujuh bulan memang sudah ngga ASI eksklusif ya, tapi frekuensi menyusui masih cukup intens. Makanan pendamping masih bersifat support ASI.

Puasa tahun ini buat saya yang paling berat. Awal MPASI masih sibuk cari-cari menu, kasih makan sehari tiga kali, nyiapin buka dan sahur untuk orang serumah, dan kerja. Saya lepas satu tempat kerja setelah melahirkan karena waktu yang ngga memungkinkan untuk tetap di dua tempat.

Lewat jam 12, rasa hausnya mulai dateng karena dari pagi sibuk ngurus semua, sambil menyusui langsung juga. Saat buka puasa, energinya hampir habis. Kenapa ngga batal? Menurut saya batal bukan solusi. Langitnya juga baik-baik aja. Alhamdulillah, saya dikasih istirahat seminggu ketika haid datang. Itu pertama kali saya haid setelah 1,5 tahun absen. Selama ASI eksklusif saya ngga haid sama sekali.

Masuk Syawal, saya mulai cicil bayar hutang. Tenyataaa, puasa di bulan Syawal lebih berat lagi dibanding puasa Ramadan. Mungkin entah karena suasana yang beda, dimana Ramadan lebih terasa santai, semua orang juga memang puasa, jadi ya biasa aja. Saya ngga bisa nyelesain puasa Ramadan saya di Syawal dan cuma bisa nyelesain tiga hari hutang puasa.

Saya sudah puasa sunnah senin kamis sejak tahun 2003. Berenti puasa ketika pas hamil 6 bulan keluar flek. Jadi sampe 6 bulan, saya masih sambil puasa sunnah ketika hamil. Rasanya biasa aja juga. Tapi, setelah melahirkan, lalu menyusui, saya ngga bisa balik puasa sunnah karena… ngga tahan laper karena menyusui😕. Niatnya mau puasa lagi abis Langit MPASI, tapi ternyata hati kurang kuat. Tunda lagi.

Akhirnya karena kesadaran yang sudah terus terganggu, berhasil juga balik puasa senin kamis di akhir tahun 2015. Selain mulai lagi puasa senin kamis, saya juga balik olahraga.
Enam bulan pertama MPASI, benar-benar menyita waktu dan energi. Saya vakum puasa dan olahraga selama enam bulan itu. Ngga heran badan saya kaya ikan paus dengan nafsu makan kaya kuda (karena babi ngga terdengar menyenangkan).

2016

Tahun 2016 Alhamduillah puasa sunnah udah balik normal lagi, olahraga rutin seminggu dua kali, masih terus nyusuin. Ketika Ramadan tahun 2016, saya tadinya mau tetap olahraga, tapi waktu itu saya belum keluar dari masa kegelapan ngasih makan. Langit masih makan diemut. Ngga ada energi sisa untuk olahraga juga, sementara puasa Ramadan wajib dan terus menerus selama sebulan. Jadi, break dulu olahraga sebulan.

 

2017

Tahun ini, Langit sudah 2,5 tahun dan saya masih menyusui. Iya, belum (berhasil) disapih. Saya lebih milih toilet training dulu, yang alhamdulillah sudah tercapai siang malam, tanpa kecelakaan. Menyusui memang ngga sesering dulu, tapi ya masih lumayan sering juga. Tapi, mungkin karena sudah biasa juga di puasa senin kamis, jadi puasa Ramadan sambil menyusui memang ngga terasa berat.

 

Selasa lalu saya pertama kali coba puasa, ikut kelas olahraga  dan tetap menyusui. Saya cuma ikut 45 menit karena saya ngga suka bagian latihan lantai. Kebetulan juga ada urusan lagi setelah itu. Sepanjang hari hingga buka, alhamdulillah ngga segitu haus kaya bayangan saya. Selain ngurangin waktu, saya juga sedikit ngerem di gerakan. Ketika high impact, saya sesuaikan aja.

Hari ini, saya olahraga lagi dan instruktur yang hari ini kebetulan puasa juga. Ternyata instruktur yang puasa lebih kejam dari yang ngga puasa. Saya sempet break dua kali. Terakhir dia pake lantai juga saya skip. Saya ngga suka lantai (sama sekali). Ngga papa de perutnya ngga rata.

Sepanjang hari rasa haus sih ngga seberapa, ngantuknya yang parah banget. Abis mandi langsung ketiduran tiga jam penuh😴😴😴.

Satu yang saya tanamkan di hati dan pikiran, puasa Ramadan yang paling penting dibanding olahraga dan untuk tahun ini, sudah lewat dua tahun, menyusui juga bukan wajib lagi (buat saya). Jadi, kalau tetap mau olahraga, harus tau diri juga.

Buat yang ragu, insya Allah puasa sambil hamil dan menyusui sangat mungkin dilakukan kok. Selain niat yang kuat, perlu juga atur kegiatan dan hal lain yang bisa meringankan puasa sambil ngurus bayi. Di hari saya olahraga dan puasa, makanan yang Langit suka wajib ada. Drama makan memang alhamdulillah udah lewat, tapi saya tetap cari aman.

Oya! Salah satu yang menurut saya wajib dilakukan adalah majukan waktu makan anak ketika puasa. Sesudah buka, energi sudah habis. Ngantuk pula. Belum mau solat tarawih juga. Kayanya ngga ada energi lagi kalo harus ngurus makanin anak. Karena saya dari awal Langit makan memang sudah menerapkan hal ini, jadi ketika puasa tinggal ikutin aja. Tiga kali makan besar, sudah harus selesai sebelum maghrib. Setelah maghrib, waktunya tidur untul Langit dan istirahat untuk saya.

Semua urusan yang berat saya selesaikan di pagi hari. Saya juga punya daftar menu makan untuk sahur,masak, takjil, dan makan malam yang saya buat per minggu. Jangan salah, perencanaan yang detil itu sangat menghemat energi lho. Apalagi selain ngurus bayi, saya juga harus ngurus tiga laki-laki lain. Alhamdulillah juga kerjaan rumah ada ART pulang pergi yang ngerjain.

 

 

Semoga yang berniat puasa selagi menyusui dan mau olahraga juga dimudahkan ya niat baiknya. Triple ibadah, insya Allah pasti dikasih jalan kalau memang benar-benar mau melakukan semua. Apalagi Ramadan yang cuma setaun sekali. Sayang kalo dilewatkan.

 

Sehar dan lancar semua puasa dan ibadah lainnya ya!

Posted in Places, Travel

London-Manchester-Liverpool (With A Toddler and A Parent) Day 6-7 (End)

Mistakenly clicked the trash button and the long-written-PUBLISHED post gone in an instant😢

Rewriting those long stories are too lazy, of course. But, after some time, I’ll need the writing to back up this forgetful brain, to cherish the happy moments in the future. So, here we go.

Day 6 : London

The sixth day agenda was another trip to city centre. Actually, it’s more to shopping centre. Both my sister and sister in-law asked to buy some clothers for their kids in Primark. So, the first stop is Primark Marble Arch. 

It was quite lucky to arrive there when it was just opened at 9 am. There is a bus which go directly from our airbnb to Primark Marble Arch entrance door. I spent almost two hours looking for the orders. Really, it was totally not my happy place. So many people and crowded. But, it made sense. They offered such a good price for everything there. I couldn’t help buying something too for others. And myself too.

Wait, didn’t I say this was my unhappy place?😒😒

We spent half day strolling in Oxford street. From west to the east. I wanted to have the famous Shack Shake for dinner. The closest store was on Leicester Square. 

Shack Shake was quite full during lunch time. I had to wait for some time until ours were ready. We were quite lucky to find four seats by the window during those crowded time. Their portobello mushroom and fries were good. Price was so so. 

We continued walking to Trafalgar Square where we planned to meet my brother there. We wanted to retake the same picture as we did in 1994. It turned out Trafalgar Square held a Vaisakhi celebration that day. So, it was full by Hindunese culture, Indians people, food, music, and art.

I couldn’t really enjoy Trafalgar Square that time. Me and crowd would never be a good match. We went home after retook the picture.
Having a break on mid day was a very good idea. We did it in Paris and we enjoyed the afternoon trip more after recharging the energy at home.

We strolled around Angel Islington once again in the afternoon. I went back to the small book store to complete my Guess How Much I Love You Series. After that, I wanted to visit a kitchen ware shop which I had been eyeing everytime we rode on the bus. I needed new thermos since the old one was broken.

We found the shop and yes, the thermos was there. Happily buying the new thermos for £ 12. We continued walking until the bus stop. It was almost 7 pm and it was time to go home already.

Oxford Street Crowd
The trio apparated here from Bill and Fleur wedding when the dark mark appeared. If you know what I mean.
Leicester Square
Trafalgar Square
Afternoon stroll in Angel Islington

Day 7 : London

The planned itinerary was going to Greenwich Park. The reality said no. Since it was the last day and some things were still missing, so off we went once again to Oxford street.

Since it was on Sunday, the stores opened as late as 11.30 am or 12.00 pm. So, we went to Regent Street then continued to Kensington Garden.
Kensington Garden was the favorite royal garden of the late Princess Diana. Some of its benches were written by messages for her. There was a small playground too and Langit was so happy.

When it was about the time, we went back to Oxford Street to find what we needed. In spite of the crowd, Primark is truly one stop shopping place where you can buy almost everything without went broke.

We had a plan to visit my brother’s place after done with the shopping hassles. We took the bus to Shoreditch and first stop would be Brick Lane Sunday market.

It was quite hard to believe that Brick Lane was the place that drew the biggest smile on this group of mine face. Both my father and the doctor kept telling this was the place they have  been craving for. Crowded small alley with lots of good street food, street musician, second hand shop, a real market to shop. Different hype and vibe from Oxford and Regent street in a very pleasant way.

My brother’s place was within walking distance from Brick Lane market. He told us that his class mates, two of the closest ones wanted to say hello to us. So, after few minutes arrived in his place, his friends came and we had some conversations in the living room. It was good to know he really met nice people there. His british and japanese friends were very warm.

Another highlight of this trip occured when my brother introduced us to his host. An old British man who lived accross my brother’s room. After having some conversations for a while, he said something to my father that hit me hard.

“You should be proud of him. He’s very nice and most importantly, very polite. Young people these days are having less manners to older adults, but your son is exceptionally very polite. You must be very proud of him,”.

Damn. 

I want those words too for myself some time in the future.

What could have been better knowing that you’ve done a great job raising your kids? Having those words spoken by a stranger, whose culture is quite different, who met your child only for few months, yet telling you such words above in a very sincere way.

In the end, through this trip, I had been reminded once again, it wasn’t your look, wealth, social status, intelligence, or whatever things that attached to yourself that matter the most. Manners and kindness are ones that win the people heart.

Arranged this trip was not easy.  It took lots of time to research about this and that, countless reading, full attention to the smallest details, with the thought and hope my father would enjoy this trip. I guess it was fulfilled.

Having trip with your parent might not as free as when you travel with your own family only. But, for me, it was worth all my time spent to make this happened.

We won’t be here forever, and our parents won’t be around forever too. Spend more time with them, travel to some places, and we’ll find something more than just things we buy on the stores or good pictures we take to be displayed in our gallery.

I thank Allah endlessly for making this trip happened smoothly, without any unpleasant things during the trip.

I want more.

I want more.

(Later child, set your next priorities right first!).

Well, okay. 

See you then, airports!

Kensington Garden

Kensington Garden

Last picture of the squad before heading back home