I love babywearing!

I want to share some beautiful babywearing photos that my husband took yesterday...

This carry is called Kangaroo Carry. It can be tied with a shorter wrap. InsyaAllah I will do a video of this carry next..

Mia is clearly a model for babywearing babies. She absolutely reaffirms my belief that a worn baby is a happy baby. EVERYTIME I wear her she starts calming down and falling asleep. Doesn't matter which carrier I use. Yesterday I tried my handmade pouch with her and again she snoozed right after I put her in a comfortable position..

I find myself wrapping her for most of the day. My wrap is definitely being put to good use. Right now, she is happily snuggled against me while I'm typing this.

We get a lot of stares here if we go out wearing a wrap..I think in the UK babywearing is not a common thing, similar to how it is in Malaysia. I'm trying to learn how to nurse in a wrap now, so that it would be easy to nurse in public if we need to..it's easy to breastfeed discreetly in a wrap, all that fabric will cover you up..maybe no one will even suspect you're nursing your baby..

aaahh saving the best pic for last. Cuddling with both my little angels. Alhamdulillah, I am so blessed...

Video tutorial: Newborn Front Wrap Cross Carry (FWCC)

Well, not so much a tutorial, i'm really still very much an amateur wrapper...But as I learn more carries I'd like to put up a video to document my newborn wrapping adventures..anyone wants to join me?

This carry (FWCC) is probably the easiest and the most comfortable carry for a newborn. This is my number one go-to carry especially to get Mia to sleep. We made this video yesterday before going to the hospital for my post-natal check up. It was an early morning appointment, Adam was still asleep, so I wrapped Mia up and off we went just the two of us (that's why she's wearing her bunny snowsuit in the video!). My husband stayed with Adam. This is the first outing for just Mia and I. I'm glad I wrapped her because it made the whole outing so easy. We took the bus to the hospital. Mia slept through the whole thing....

Newborn back carry

I have been trying to do back carries with Mia, but this is my only successful attempt so far (after many unsuccessful attempts). This carry is called a Rucksack Carry. With newborn it's harder because you need to have the head supported and their body is so small it's hard to reach back there. Mia doesn't like it when i'm wrapping the fabric around..she will cry or wiggle..but once i'm done wrapping she will fall asleep, everytime! i swear this wrap has magic sleepy dusts!

View from the front. I did what is called a Tibetan Tie on the front. I think new breastfeeding mommies with enhanced chest area will definitely appreciate this because the tails sort of cover your front..(pls excuse the weird tudung ikat and pyjamas, had to just grab tudung on and take pics because who knows when i'll be able to do another back carry successfully!)

here's the money shot - lovely sleeping baby, safe and sound on Mommy's back!

Mia @ 1 month

- she has the loveliest smell

-she is pink!

-she's chubby with a double chin

-she is quite a peaceful baby...sleeps well at night...alhamdulillah..

-she admires her big bro Adam and loves watching everything he does

-she loves to be held/worn and will insist that you walk around as well

-she can lift up her head and turn around when put on her tummy

most people say she looks like Mommy...and that Adam looks like Daddy...

mia @ 1 month

but...we think they look like each other !

adam @ 1 month

What's your name?

Gradation dyed silk indio

close enough to kiss

This wrap is originally a Didymos Silk Indio in natural colour. It is a mix of 70% cotton and 30% silk. The wrap has been gradation dyed by the mama who sold it to me. She named it hard candy because of the colours. It is about 4.2m long. It's a woven wrap, which means it's non-stretchy, unlike my purple Wrapsody.

A silk indio is said to be a must-have with a newborn because of its softness. When i received it the texture is not as soft as i expected it to be..i read that with a dyed silk indio, you will need to break it in post-dye before it becomes soft and marshmallow-y like it should. So right now I'm doing everything to break it in...sitting on it, braiding it, wearing it...right now it's drying in the guest bedroom..hopefully it'll soften up soon...but even right now i find it really great to wrap with...

i think this pic shows the colours of the wrap the best. It is pink on one rail, and bluish purple on the other end. In the middle there are shades of purple, green, yellow, peach and pink. It's absolutely stunning...i'm really falling in love with this wrap!

the carry that i'm doing is called a Front Wrap Cross Carry (FWCC) i think thats what its called..i'm stuck with this carry at the moment, it's most comfortable and easiest for a beginner..But i intend to learn other carries and i'll put up more photos if i succeed...

the mama who sold it to me included a silk indio scarf that was dyed in the same colours as my wrap. I was gonna use it as a normal winter scarf but....look at this:

i think it looks better on Adam, don't you??? hehehe...he's wearing Spongebob there..

My children

some beautiful photographs of the kids that my husband took recently..

my favourite photo of Mia. Why? that scarf she's wrapped in, has sentimental value for me. My husband (my friend, at the time) bought it for me as a gift in Venice, summer of 2003. That's when we fell in love :) hehehe....

Adam playing basket with Mia...he was so busy arranging 'selimut' on Mia (using wipes) it was so hard to get him to look up..

this shot looks so peaceful...and yet the photoshoot couldn't be more chaotic! hahaha...Adam was around my legs buat kecoh..and then climbing up trying to pull down the black background fabric..had to shoot with me standing up (so that Adam cannot reach me) so my hand lenguh..then Mia gerak2 takut dia slip...takut dia pee (diaperless) , takut mia sejuk..wah macam2 going on..hehe...but the result was beautiful..

Mia started to fuss and cry..then Adam leaned forward and kissed her..oh..that boy really melts my heart..

p/s: thinking about that scarf, i remembered something. Arwah Reza was there when he bought me the scarf. I remember Reza asking ' Aida, ko beli scarf? Kenapa Taufik yg bayar???' with a cheeky suspicious look on his face (friends didn't know at the time that 'something' was going on between us). I can't believe he's gone...he was a really good friend...al-Fatihah for Arwah please...

Sewing in confinement

ok, don't start lifting your eyebrows now, i know some people say jgn pegang jarum masa dlm pantang...erk...but i can't help it...i'm really feeling the itch to stitch..the past couple of day i've been lucky cos Mia decided to sleep at night, only waking up for her feedings...so sempatla nak menjahit...

i was actually going for the bubble skirt here, using another technique..but apparently it didn't work out so well as you can see..the skirt looks more like a normal hem and not the bubble hem...

but i love the fabric, don't you? from Tanya Whelan new Dolce collection...

velvet ribbon...love it...will definitely get more of this..

i think i might put this dress in my etsy store..and add more...

some random pics..

Elizabeth came to visit this week...Adam was soo happy..over-excited actually..sampai jadi bergadoh pulak dgn Elizabeth..tapi masa awek tu sampai bukan main peluk...adoii...lama tak jumpa..

this was taken this morning. Adam bermanja dgn his sister..klaka betul Adam kalau tgk dia pujuk Mia kalau Mia nangis. Nanti kalau dapat amik video i'll put it up..

This gorgeous wrap arrived today!!!!! really makes my day :) I'll wash it first...action pics coming up soon...

Yay!

My blog has been renovated! These are definitely more my colours, don't you think?

Thank you to my husband who made all the changes....muah!

Mia's first day out

Today Mia had her first day out. We went to the Malaysian High Commissioner to register her birth and make her passport.

Mia in her snowsuit that is too big for her..hehe

Agak kelam kabut jugak today..yelah first time bwk Mia kluar..but mostly kelam kabut tu sbb Along dia ha..bukan Mia..ade ke pulak Adam yg sibuk nak duduk dlm Maxi Cosi tu??hahaha..sib baik badan dia kecik muat lagi..so I hold Mia and Adam lak duduk dlm buggy..adoi...yg the above pic we were in the Science Museum, waiting for to collect the passport, Adam pulak was playing in the museum, tu pasal Mia dpt baring dlm buggy..

dpt amik pics indoor je..masa outdoor it was so cold! plus it was snowing!! laa dah lama tak snow tibe2 harini Mia kluar dia snow pulak...mcm nak sambut Mia je snow ni..sian Mia sejuk....tapi Mia ok je..tido..

Alhamdulillah dah settle passport Mia..dah siap, skejap jer. She had to baring atas kain blue masa nak amik gamba :)

Just to add another pic of brotherly love....

alahai...sejuk perut saya mengandung..hehe...

To Adam: You're doing so well at welcoming your new sister...you love and care for her...i know it's not easy thing to do, adapting to this new change...i'm so proud of you!!

already i can see that Mia is fascinated by her big bro. She's always watching Adam...sambil adam lompat sana sini and buat aktiviti dia...

Cloth Pads and more dresses

I didn't really think/plan much about post-natal pads..just bought some disposable ones. But right after I gave birth, and took my shower...immediately it struck me how much more comfortable it would've been if i had some cloth pads..because disposable pads are soooo uncomfortable after birth especially if you had stitches! They have these sticky wings..and then sticky2 melekat pulak to your sore skin...ouch! For normal period it's not so bad..but post-natal..eugh..that area is especially sensitive...

upon getting home from the hospital..i immediately bought some cloth pads..tapi just arrived today..lah lambat baru nak try kan...takpelah...feels so much better! can't comment on the performance yet though..tapi comel kan pads ni..hehe..looks very easy to sew actually...bolehla buat sendiri lak pasni..

here are some pics of Mia in more dresses...

Mia in her ruffle dress

Mia in her Itti Bitti dress

cepat je Mia dah tembam kan...muahs!

I live for these moments..

*Adam insisted that I put Mia down right there, then he baring next to her, put the 'selimut' over both of them and held her hand..

**Adam is crazy about these 'selimut' as he calls them. We have loads lying around, well you know how useful these lampins are when you have a newborn in the house. Adam could play for hours with them. Selimutkan himself, his trains (??? siap ckp goodnight lg kat train???) make into tents, cover up the sofa.It's amazing how creative their imaginative play can be..hehe..