s.m.i.l.e.

got this interesting facts from fb

SMILE.The Messenger of Allah Muhammad (peace be upon him) said: "To smile in the company of your brother is charity. " (Bukhari)

It seems that nothing has more power to elevate a mood than the impact of a genuine smile. The benefits of a smile extend not only to the recipient of the warm gesture but also to the smile's originator. "A smile is a little curve that sets a lot of things straight." Here are some of the many ........ Benefits of Smiling!

1. Smiling Makes Us Attractive- People are spending millions on cosmetic products and procedures to make them look better.If you want to look better, try adding a genuine smile. Its cheaper and mush more attractive.The muscles we use to smile lift the face, making a person appear younger. Don't go for a face lift, just try smiling your way through the day -- you'll look younger and feel better.

2. Smiling Changes Our Mood-Next time you are feeling down, try putting on a smile. There's a good chance you mood will change for the better. Smiling can trick the body into helping you change your mood.

3. Smiling Is Contagious-When someone is smiling they lighten up the room, change the moods of others, and make things happier. A smiling person brings happiness with them.

4. Smiling Relieves Stress-Stress can really show up in our faces. Smiling helps to prevent us from looking tired, worn down, and overwhelmed. When you are stressed, take time to put on a smile. The stress should be reduced and you'll be better able to take action.Smiling helps to promote release of a "feel good" group of hormones called endorphins. These are the same group of hormones responsible for the runners high you hear so much about. If you don't have time to get to the gym for a hard run, try adding a smile to boost these natural, stress relieving hormones.

5. Smiling Boosts Your Immune System-Smiling helps the immune system to work better. When you smile, immune function improves possibly because you are more relaxed. Prevent the flu and colds by smiling.

6. Smiling Lowers Your Blood Pressure-When you smile, there is a measurable reduction in your blood pressure. Give it a try if you have a blood pressure monitor at home. Sit for a few minutes, take a reading. Then smile for a minute and take another reading while still smiling. Do you notice a difference?

7. Smiling is medication-Studies have shown that smiling releases endorphins, natural pain killers, and serotonin. Together these three make us feel good. Smiling is a natural drug and leads to a healthier immune system.Various studies conducted over the years have shown that smiling can boost the functioning of the immune system. This may help to reduce your risk of developing everything from the common cold to chronic diseases such ascancer. Could there be a less expensive medicine than this?

8. A smile inspires others-When you smile you also send a positive message that can potentially change someone else's mood for the better. The person you graced with your smile may go on to pass the kindness to someone else. Who knows how far your original smile will travel?

9. Smiling promotes Success -Smiling people appear more confident, are more likely to be promoted, and more likely to be approached. Put on a smile at meetings and appointments and people will react to you differently. When you smile, you appear confident and capable. Given the choice between two equally qualified job candidates, the smiling candidate is going to be perceived as being more of a team player and easier to work with. Who do you think is more likely to get the job offer?

10. Smiling Helps You Stay Positive-Try this test: Smile. Now try to think of something negative without losing the smile. It's hard. When we smile our body is sending the rest of us a message that "Life is Good!" Stay away from depression, stress and worry by smiling. Smile..!!!.. .It does not cost a cent and can make a persons day! "It takes seventeen muscles to smile and forty-three to frown".

The greatest reason for smiling is because it is a sunnah [practice] of our Beloved Messenger of Allah [peace be upon him]!!!. The Messenger of Allah[pbuh] had a smiling face and advised us to entertain our guest with a smiling face and good conduct. To smile is an act of charity!

can we smile when we are in stress? in sadness? we gotta give a try?..

Our 2 yr old Aqil

This morning Aqil came to me and say, "Sun-day, Mon-day.." I was surprised and say, "Monday, then?" To my surprise he said, "Tuesday" (in 'pelat' way). Then he sing the song! "Sunn-day, Monn-day, Tuess-day, Wednesday-Thursday. Frii-day. Saturday..." Half way we sang together. Bless :-) (This is from the cd in Mummy's car, since we were in San Diego) This moment made me miss all those time when I spent more time with my kids, when they were only one, then two, then three; Umar, Zaky & Aqil. Umar had the most time of his early years with his Mummy, time to teach him anything and everything for early learning (Alhamdulillah). Not anymore that I can have the luxury of time, but I still grab any opportunity, meaning whenever they are interested in anything, be it reading, painting, scribbling, playing. Teach them kids something. Mum is the best teacher, because we understand our children in different ways from their teachers. (Don't start on this topic now that Umar is at Primary :P)
Aqil who just turned 2 on March 26th, can count 1-10, sometimes he miss 1,2 number, sometimes he add the teens! and 20! Guess he must have listened to Zaky counting ;-) He's the 1st of his siblings can speak Malay words at earliest, yea..coz he went to Daycare that most kids speak Malay or mix language, Malay-English, ending with 'lah'...Mmmm..so Aqil have all sorts of mix language that he speak. We prefer one language at a time. It's a bit sad when you can't have anymore control on your child development, due to many reasons. However parents can still make the best of the time when they are with their children, but it may not be enough. One day, we will see that our children has grown to have the personalities, strength from what he has been through his childhood life. We become who and what we are, rooting from our early childhood experience.

Germs Died

"Zaky, have you brushed your teeth today?"
"I don't have to! The germs already died!"
"Huh? How did the germs died?"
"I 'tui-tui' (spit) them!"
(our 2nd boy who just turned 3 1/2 yrs old)
Happy New Year 2010!
(it's 01012010 but the post said 31122009 as in San Diego. missing it )

11 years

as man & wife. 6 years as mom & dad for Umar, Zaky & Aqil. 12-12-2009 it's the 11th year anniversary. Alhamdulillah. Praise to Allah for everything.

Zaky @ 3yrs 4mths

I've been wanting to write about Zaky from months ago. Seemed like he's been going on through lots of changes, or rather development of his own, positive and negative! While writing this, he's bullying Aqil on the bed while Aqil thought it's fun play! Gosh! :P "don't push him!" "Zaky! Don't push him!" Zaky,"he thinks it's funny!" i'll stop first then... ................................
Continue now. Everyday Zaky always say sentences that's funny and sometimes amaze us. eg few days back, "Mummy, praying mantis says "AllohuAkkebarr" LOL and good that he relates 'praying' with AllahuAkbar. One day at the swimming pool, "Mummy! there's a mosquito at the swimming pool." where is it? Then I saw a huge grass hopper at the place :-) LOL Lately after sending Umar to board his school van, we (Mummy,Zaky,Aqil) will spend time at the park/playground (this is why we opted to stay at condo) for breakfast and play (and Mummy had foot reflexology walking, hehehe) and Zaky will always bring his craft butterfly he named 'Sally' (he thought Sally is not a girl's name! :P) whatever Zaky. Arguing with him, you'll never win! So he always look around for Sally's friends, other butterflies. On good days we may find a few of different type of butterflies. Mummy's feeling good again living in Malaysia when my children can learn from nature, like the time we were in UK and States. How much nature, everyday life can teach our children. For free!
And everyday, Zaky & Umar (after he came back from school) will always like to play with bristle blocks and typical lego blocks. And their favourite thing to create is, the transformers! We parents are so amazed on how both of them can create such a transformer that can transform and with many things, like wings, propellers, shooters (yeah, boys! :P), changable arms/feet, and all of these will be described by themselves, on each parts. Language, explanation, imagination, creativity and all sorts that's been learned in this Transformers play. Sometimes it can be as big as their small chair ;-) Umar said, "We don't have to buy the Transformers toys Mummy. We can do it ourselves and i think it's better." (that's Umar, which Mummy has to always remind him of being boasting...may be kids age hopefully). And I think this interesting play between the brothers has made Zaky & Umar does not like it at the nursery. Everytime coming back from nursery at late afternoon, once they enter the house, they both will rush to their toys! and play, play, play as if they haven't seen it for a long time! :P Sometimes I feel so blessed that my kids really love staying home with their mum.
About Zaky, he could count to 20 and only from a week ago we started to get him to 30, nearly there. But he always said, "I can count to 100!" Ok, Can you say it? "1,2,3,... ,18,19, 100!" Hahahhaha.. he wished he can count to 100 like his big brother which he always follow suit whatever Umar does. Sometimes too much, "Can you help me with this Umar, can you help, can you help" bothering his big brother while trying to do the same as what Umar does :-)
In reading, Zaky now managed to recognise simple/common words that he sees in book. We are still trying to get him to be able to read :-) With 3 super heroes in the house now..hhmmm.. wherever, whenever there's opportunity. May Allah give us strength to teach our 3 kids to their best potentials. Amin. (got to stop, appointment for Umar's report book at his school, can't wait to meet his 6 teachers of each subjects. tarra.
* Alhamdulillah at Umar's report day, discussing things out with teachers of each subject and the principal (I was the last parent so time was all on me, hehehe), the school conclude that Umar has huge potential academically and hopefully will improve to his mischief. We know already that we are dealing with a kid that will test things surrounding him, including people! and would like to see what's the reactions we shall take to tackle the problems he created. Talk about school I'm happy with the way they handled my son, Umar, academically and in islamic adab&akhlak. Although Umar started this islamic montessori preschool only from last July, he had learnt so much about Islam, our religion, about why Allah created us, how to be a good khalifah to the world and all other aspects of daily life that Islam has set the guidelines for the right path. Will we be able to direct our children to the right path, with the so many duniawi things parents need to do to survive the family life nowadays, the surrounding environment that always make us forget our creator. And now I'm talking about living in the country that majorities are Muslims, with athans heard at 5 prayer times a day. But as individual, how much have we done for Allah swt, the way we live, the things we do everyday, the human relationship, the inner self cleansing in trying to lead a blessing life from Allah swt and others. I've been living in non Muslim countries for nearly 12yrs, and those experience had made me learnt so much, and it's so strange that life in the country that majorities are muslims is filled with lots of things that can astray you and sadly the muslims behaviour around does not reflect muslims at all, in public or secretly. Ya Allah, show us the right path. Amin. (ops.unintentionally)

Zaky is 3!

Our 2nd boy turned 3 on June 29th. 3 years ago at a different time zone, in Poway, California, Mummy still remember in the best labor room that I have ever been, with jacuzzi (aka for water birth:P) etc, baby Zaky came out on the 3rd attempt of vacuum, minute to be pushed to OT for C sect. Alhamdulillah you came out eventually with yr umbilical cord 3 times around your neck, which explained the hard hours of pushing ;-)
On his 3rd birthday, Mummy realised that this boy has not started on potty training yet! Unlike his brother that a week before his 3rd birthday, he's off diaper, but with lotsa accidents for the next year! year! :P hehehhe.. So for our 2nd, Mummy decided to wait until he's ready, but he did not show any sign of that except for demanding to use nappy whenever we asked him to use pull ups!, let alone underpants :P So a week after his 3rd birthday, on one fine day, Mummy got the chance to help him to change his nappy, and I got the idea and told him,
"Zaky, we are running out of nappy. We forgot to buy nappy, they are all at the shop. I only have this underpants. Hey I got two that u can choose, one is the star and the other one is the car. You can choose which one you want to wear."
Then he answered with his grumpy face, "No! I want my nappy! Nappy is good. No underpants!" Yea, Zaky, with his strong opinions, always! Then I thought for a second. Well, I will leave him to think and put the 2 underpants on the floor in front of him, then I left the spot with a prayer to Allah for this potty training attempt. While I was walking down the stairs, I heard Zaky saying, " I want my nappy! I want my nappy!" I ignored and hoping for the better. After half an hour I went again upstairs but not to attend to him. I went straight to the room and in a minute I heard him, "Mummy. Can you help me with this please" while holding the star underpants. So I just said, "O.Ok. Good boy Zaky. You are a small boy! Small boy use underpants, only little boy like Aqil use nappy.(he never liked to be called a big boy. For him Umar is big boy, he's a small boy and Aqil is a little boy)"
Ops, then he said, "Can you go to Giant and buy my nappy?" LOL
"Ok Zaky, we'll see ok" Then he went away continue watching tele. I went near him and tell him, "Zaky, if you want to wee2, tell Mummy or Aunty Precy (our helper) ok?" "Don't make your underpants wet ok?" After that, with a bit wetty underpants, to full wet underpants, to wet the floor for a few times, and poo2 in underpants, on and off with on time and accidents for few days, so we decided to give him pull ups but with intention to keep it dry.
It has been about 3 weeks today and he's getting better at it. Sometimes he wanted to go potty for wee2 almost every hour! With praise and encouragement, he understood now to go to the loo for wee2, but poo2, only few times now :P
One night we went out for dinner and he drank like a full 1 1/2 glass of water. When we came back, he wanted to go to the loo every 10 minutes, but hey! he got it right..he wanted to wee2 too many times because he felt it, with too much drink! hehehehe... :-)
InsyaAllah we hope that our Zaky will be diaper free soon.

Back to home country

of Mummy's :P So welcome to live in Malaysia Naz, Umar, Zaky & Aqil. After 8 mths transition of weather and culture in Singapore from California, from England. And I can't believe it that the weather, air quality has changed so much from 12 years ago! So now our body system's struggling to keep up with the hot weather and obviously 'not good' air quality. All i can think of is, it's like summer in the dessert of Las Vegas! but worse with the humidity. For the first time, Aqil got runny nose for days, Umar & Zaky with coughing. Mummy with sinusitis. Dad? Daddy cool? :P He's used to life of drastic change of weather as he's been travelling to all sorts of different weather in short notice for the past 7-8yrs. From summer, spring temperature to thick snow etc. Good for you then
;-)

As of the kids, 1,2,3. No.1 Umar-Finding his new kindy and taekwando, No.2 Zaky-Getting him to school too? we'll see. He can recite Al-fatihah on his own now, before 3yrs old. Yippee! And last night he cried in his sleeping, on and off, Mummy already thought it's due to unfinished business with us just before he slept ;-) So i asked him today, "Who cried last night?" "Me" with a smile :P "Why did you cry Zaky?" "Because I need batteries" yea..he wanted batteries as laptop switched off due to battery nil. We purposely did not plug it in so that they wouldn't play too long, as what always happened. Now Umar gotta see optometrist after initial check-up at his kindy last month.
And our No.3-Aqil..he can sing Thomas song his way! :-) And he is so keen, too keen on what he wants, be it to go out from the house, type of food etc. If he did not get what he wants, he will try to knock his head on the floor and throw his body to the floor! My goodness. I got 3 kinds of superheroes here, and my helper need to deal with all these everyday. When I'm around, I make sure I give her every single tips i can think of on how to look after my children, how to handle different arguments, battle situation, resentment at meal time etc.

We pray to Allah that our family can survive the weather, the culture and Malaysia.