Panjat jgn tak panjat

Dulu my fren pernah cakap, to climb the corporate ladder kena :-

1. pandai cakap versi yg sedap didengar oleh bos
2. bahas balik dlm versi yg sedap didengar oleh bos
3. angguk dlm cara angguk yg sedap dipandang oleh bos
4. bodek pakai sistem ampu yang paling tak dpt dikesan oleh bos

The apprentice mcm tu ker? ;)

Hak untuk memaafkan

Ada suatu hari dahulu i pernah cakap ngan my colleagues yg i takkan maafkan C (org yg penah buat jahat ngan i) smp bila-bila. Smp mati pun. My colleague jawab " Jgn mcm tu fynn, nanti bila dihisap kelak dan tinggal satu amalan je lagi utk kau ke syurga, dan maafkan org yg menzalimi kau akan tolong kau..." I tak faham apa yg dia cakap pada masa tu until i read this book- "Membina Hati Bahagia - Dr H.M Tuah"

Ada satu kisah dlm buku ni pada zaman Rasullulah s.a.w. Rasullulah s.a.w menjawab apabila Saidina Umar nampak Rasulllulah tertawa sendirian.." Ada dua org umatku yg memperhitungkan hak-haknya. Yg seorg berkata " Ya Allah, berikanlah hak-hakku yg dizalimi oleh org itu."

Berfiman Allah s.w.t " Berikanlah haknya yg telah engkau zalimi itu!"

Menjawab org yg dituntut itu dgn sedia, " Ya Allah, wahai Tuhanku. Sesungguhnya kebaikanku telahpun habis semuanya, maka tiadalah lagi yg dpt aku berikan kepada org ini."

Dijawab oleh org yg menuntut itu, " Oleh itu engkau mesti menanggung segala dosaku sebagai gantinya."

Berfiman Allah s.w.t kpd org yg menuntut itu " Angkatlah kepalamu dan lihatlah syurga."

Apabila dilihat oleh penuntut itu akan keindahan Syurga lalu bertanya " Apakah itu semua utk Nabi-nabi atau org syahid?"

Maka Allah s.w.t. menjawab " Itu utk sesiapa saja yg sanggup membayarnya!Engkau pun dapat sekiranya engkau mengampuni org yg menzalimimu itu."

Si penuntut itu pun memaafkan org yg menzaliminya. Maka Allah s.w.t. pun berfirman " Pimpinlah tangan org itu bersama-sama ke dlm Syurga itu."

Rasulullah s.a.w. pun pernah bersabda " Maka berbuat baiklah kepada saudaramu sesama Muslim"

Kita ada hak utk memaafkan tapi berapa byk diantara kita yg ikhlas memaafkan insan yg mengata kita, menzalimi kita... i pun tak tahu...I know myself..I know time heals but a scar tak boleh hilang. Sakit pedih bila ingatkan memori itu...perbuatan org itu...bolehkah i ikhlas maafkan dia and feel good about it?

Fikir balik apa my colleague kata mungkin ada benarnya. I hope i can try to be forgiving...

Macam-Macam MEmori

Ari ahad tak larat nak buat ape..i got this headache. berdenyut-denyut. so i ended up tido...tu pun tak nyenyak. Haqqeem asyik panjat badan mama je...hubby g melawat kubur arwah FIL ngan MIL dan adik dia.

On Monday, my hubby ask to pay his 1st installment for the 'babe'. So, me and haqqeem went out pagi-pagi lagi to pay ayah installment. Singgah ofis jap, then off we go to KL Sentral. I don't know other branch of AmBnk yg dlm bangunan. Sini tak panas and we were able to makan at kfc. Haqqeem happy sgt ngan mashed potato dia. He sit kat baby chair and talking to himself looking amazingly at the lights. Tgn menghentak-hentak. Happy tgk dia. Masa balik dukung dia, we took a cab. Dlm cab dia tgk je mama..tak tahu kenapa. Then dia tidor....all the way smp umah.

I love spending time with him...mcm ngan pak we...kelakar...ari ni masak nasi ayam. Semlm masak spaghetti..tak de lauk jadi bubuh cndwan je....Semua org dah tidur and i am blogging. sbb esok dah vowed nak buat keje..ta nak blog..at least smp petang..hehehe

I miss my real parents at dungun. Lama tak balik sane...kecil hati sebnarnya ngan mak. Ari tu masa dlm pantang mak tak nak masak. Dia suruh makan nasi semlm jer...MIL keluar ada urusan jadi bila dia balik tgk tak ada lauk dia pun masakkan...maaalu pada MIL. Anak dia yg dia tak bagi pada org dia jaga betul-betul. Byk lagi lah komen yg dia kata i tak pandai jaga anak...Bila hubby suruh mandikan anak dia kata habislah anak tu..lemas...i know masa dlm pantang i byk menangis...tapi kata-kata mak kandung tu kan umpama doa. Kenapa nak kata benda yg tak elok...Itu yg buat i tak balik. Telefon jugak sekali kala...

Hubungan i and my real parents tak de la rapat until 2 years ago....i was raised by my adopted parents in Ipoh. Sebab tu i selalu balik Ipoh. I love my family in Ipoh so much...especially my adopted father. Bukan senang nak jaga anak org...and to treat like your own...i know i tak boleh....

Thank you papa..for taking me as your daughter. To raised me as your own. Forgive me for all the heartache I've cause you. I love you and akak akan selalu kenang jasa papa.

....

yg tgh tu gambar haqqeem masa 4 bulan. Berubah tak muka dia. Yg tak berbaju tu gambar latest masa kat Ipoh last week.

Ramai org kata bentuk muka ikut mama..tapi iras ayah. Kalau bawak dia turun g kedai, tak yah cakap anak sape. Org tahu lah anak sape..tgk iras pun tahu. Dia dah besar ni sust sikit badan dia berbanding ngan dia masa 3-6bulan. Tapi still babam juge..heheh. baju dia skrg kena cari size yg utk 1thn - 2thn. Bagi dia baju 6-12 bln nye size tak muat le...

Ayah kata haqqeem ada bentuk badan mama. Kat mana tu hah...sendiri kena tau le..hhuhuhuhu... 

Have a nice weekend

suka keje hari sabtu...1st sebab tak bz..2nd jalan tak jem..kalu hubby tak keje pagi..leh antar...hari ni hubby antar ngan haqqeem duduk di seat dia. Kami baru beli kat Tesco masa balik Ipoh last week.

Harap-harap masa balik tadi dia tak lonjak-lonjak..Mcmana ek nak bagi dia suka dok dlm tu? Mama lekatkan mainan dia kat seat biar dia tak boring balik nanti.

Nak kena belajar drive lah macam nie...Malu ah kita ni kan dah 3* ++ pun tak tau g nak drive. Hubby bagi masa smp tahun ni utk b'jar drive. Nanti nak antar haqqeem g nursery mcmana? So terpaksa lah mama ni belajar drive utk haqqeem.

Bukan tak nak b'jar..tak confident....I ni jalan kaki pun kdg-kdg terlanggar benda inikan pulak nak drive.

Jap g nak balik..maybe hubby ambik kot. Dia balik awal. Dia tepon tadi tak cam suara...
Hidung ni meleleh lagi tapi rasa sihat sikit dari semalam. Lenguh-lenguh dah ok...Bila hidung berair..mata pun berair gak....

Ok...all have a nice weekend.

Tak larat...

Letihnya rasa hari ni...badan lak rasa lenguh-lenguh..hidung pun dah jadi mcm haqqeem dah asyik meleleh...Mlm tadi dah rasa dah tak sihat..Makan Panadol Actifast..Bangun pagi ni asyik bersin je...perut lak tak sedap...Lemah je badan..Alahai..baru nak baik. Ni kalau tak makan ubat ni haqqeem berjangkit le...

Tadi tghari telan Panadol Soluble..malas lak nak pegi klinik. Klinik panel jauh dari rumah...kalau dekat safe sikit tambang..nak pegi klinik bukan panel dan ambil time slip nanti HR tak terima lak...sbb bukan panel kecuali emergency....Ptg ni pulak hubby keje shif ptg..balik kul 11 mlm..jadi kena ambik haqqeem...tak boleh balik lambat. MIL ada agenda lepas maghrib. Haqqeem is taken care by my MIL.

Ahh..beli ubat selsema kat pharmacy je la...kalau esok tak ok...baru g klinik...;)

Semlm dalam tak sihat tu able to masak dan pureekan makanan haqqeem. Thanks to ummi yg bagi byk tunjuk ajar...except i don't have those tmpt ice cubes yg ada penutup..so i balutkan dengan plastic wrap yg lekat-lekat tu. I made potatoes, carrot and spinach granade.

Then esok, keluarkan letak dalam pan bubuh sikit hot water then campurkan dalam bubur nasi.

Tak yah tunggu lama untuk potato tu lembik...tak tau la haqqeem makan ke tidak....

My hubby tgk buat apa bubuh kan dlm tmpt ice cubes nih...guna tmpt buat ice cream lah...i said tak pe lah..nanti i buat experiment. Lagipun tmpt buat ice cream tu kena cari. (i don't even know that thing exists...tu my hubby yg beli masa previous marriage dia).,...

8.2.2004

Two years ago, on this date was my engagement. Byk yg berlaku lead to this engagement. I knew my husband 3 months before we got engage. How i know him? Hehe ..through e-kawan. You just register in this website..e-kawan..then register your handphone no. Your handphone no will not be disclose only your code will then you will get sms from who wants to be your friend. Byk jugak lah top up prepaid.

Masa tu I ngah frust menongeng, tergolek, terduduk sebab kena tipu....bila i jumpa dia..so i accepted his offer. ntahla...masa tu i bosan sesangat kawan ngan org..tak tahu apa ending..

My ex was same age as me...He has all the character that i ever wanted in a man...(cehwah, i hope he does not read this..kalau tak..perasan) Orang kata bila kita cari jodoh..biarlah saling melengkapi..he is opposite side of me..most of it tapi we share the same interest...main bowling,suka jalan-jalan and suka tengok bollywood movies...Bila ngan dia dulu, i never missed to see bollywood movies..hahaha..tapi skrg..dah lama tak layan cite bollywood...rindu lak...

What great about him is bila u feel down and wanted a booster..his word of advice can really turn u on..(bukan on lain tau..i mean motivate)..may be sebab dia pandai berkata-kata...sebab tu kot ramai perempuan suka kat dia....so masa tu he is like my strength...

Kalau nak ingat balik zaman bercinta dulu...byk manis dan pahit...i tried not to remember anymore.terlalu sedih..semua tu dah jadi kenangan...ada yg slowly buat i lupa ...now hanya tinggal bits and pieces...and i hope i am able to put him behind...

I hope my son takkan buat seorg perempuan mengharap pada dia..treat org baik-baik...jgn ambik kesempatan atas kebaikan org...

There are some good traits in him that i hope my son would have...tapi biarlah ia jadi rahsia hati i...


Kalau dibandingkan kehidupan i sebelum dan lepas kahwin.. I prefer my marriage life. Of chourse it is hard to live with someone yag di brought up dgn cara yg berlainan dari kita...tapi ntahla..i rasa lebih tenang...lebih selamat dari masa i single dulu...enjoy tapi tak de matlamat...Bila dah kahwin, ada anak..i know where i want to go....what i want my future life will be...

Sapa kata kahwin senag...eh..kahwin memang le senag tapi nak maintain bukan senang...especially if you compare yourself with others..and your previous relationship....takkan satisfied..sampai mati pun takkan satisfied...

I pun bukan lama kahwin ..baru nak masuk 2 tahun...tapi what i kept telling myself is to compromise and sabar...Sabar paling perlu..(mcm lagu P.Ramlee tu..heheh)...and to hold my touge bila marah...Kita tak boleh curah minyak pada api yg tengah marak kan...tu lah...bukan senang nak maintain kesabaran tuh...especially bila ada bad words yg involve...

Anyway..kita kena byk musahabahkan diri.....(that is what my brother always tell me)...tapi kalau tak tahan sgt...let the steam out..nanti meletup tapi jgn pada sasaran...tulis ke...channelkan pada benda lain...nanti rasa lega kot...;)

hadiah

Last sunday 5.2.2005, buat kenduri doa selamat. Masak Nasi kunyit and kari ayam. My hubby niat kalau haqqeem dah pandai merangkak nak buat nasi kunyit..so kena buat lah.



Tapi terjadi breakdown in communication between my MIL and my SIL. Dia ingatkan birthday haqqeem yg pertama. Jadi dia pun belikan haqqeem pool utk main-main. Tak pe la rezeki haqqeem dapat advance birthday gift...;)



Pool ni tak muat dlm bilik mandi so pasang kat living room. Habislah lantai mama kena mop balik. Tapi tak pe asal haqqeem happy. Air tak banyak tapi boleh le setakat dia main splash-splash bersama itik-itik dia. Mula-mula duduk..pas tu meniarap..hehe...tapi nak tiup pool ni bagi kembang...uh kembang kempis le jugak...i tak larat tiup...ayah yang tiup...



Habis mandi letih agaknya..tidur ngan ayah...kaki tu..agaknya ingatkan bantal peluk kot...tinggi tu nak peluk..tak sampai...

Gemini personality...

I wonder how haqqeem's personality going to be like when he is older...

His zodiac is Gemini..this is what I get from http://bayi.us/zodiak.php


Sangat ingin cepat keluar (mungkin si kecil adalah bayi yang mungkin paling sering menendang dengan kuat ketika dalam kandungan!).

** Mgkn juge sbb haqqeem dilahirkan 12 hari lebih awal dari due datenya....

Si kecil gemini akan belajar berbicara diusia yang dini dan akan membuat tanda yang akan selalu diingat yang dimulai dari hari pertama.

** Ayat yg di selalu cakap skrg..mamamamamam...mamamamama....



Si kecil Gemini mempunyai sifat keingintahuan yang besar dan seorang yang suka menjelajah dan mencoba hal baru. Si Kecil geminilah yang membutuhkan banyak stimulasi untuk membuatnya berbahagia mengingat. Si kecil gemini sangat mudah menjadi bosan.

** haqqeem now boleh tahu kat mana alif..ba..ta..i would ask haqqeem..haqqeem tunjuk mama mana alif..ba.. ta..then he would come from another room dtg kat fridge yg ada lekat huruf-hurf jawi..i was amazed..heheh..maybe dia tak tahu mana alif..ba..ta..but he knew where it is..adalah diantara huruf-huruf yg lekat kat fridge ni..hehe..nak experiment lain..nak beli ABC lak..then he knows or not to diffrentiate..nak coba le...

Kemampuan komunikasi si kecil akan sangat menonjol, maka hal penting yang segera dilakukan adalah membawa si kecil ini untuk mengikuti play group sesegera mungkin. Sedangkan dirumah, saudara dapat dengan mudah mengisi fungsi untuk membantunya berkomunikasi sebagai seorang teman! Tidak akan ada kata terlalu dini buat si kecil gemini untuk belajar berinteraksi dengan yang lain. Selain itu si kecil gemini juga akan belajar lebih cepat.

Si kecil Gemini tidak terlalu mandiri. Cukup bertentangan, ini adalah anak yang cukup bahagia untuk memainkan drumnya sendiri, serta sangat menyukai dan mengagumi proses tersebut. Yang mengejutkan, pada saat si kecil sedang tidak terikat melakukan sesuatu (tidak sedang berbicara atau bermain dengan yang lain) maka akan banyak melibatkan perasaan emosional tertentu. Untuk alasan tersebut, maka sebaiknya tetap mengusahan hal-hal disekitarnya tidak sulit dan lebih mudah untuk dimengerti si kecil dan sebaiknya untuk tetap menjaga ketenangan.
Secara umumnya, si kecil gemini adalah juru bicara yang cukup handal diantara teman-temannya di play grupnya. Memiliki kemampuan untuk memperhatikan tetapi sangat singkat (jadi buatlah mereka teap sibuk!). Si kecil gemini adalah salah satu balita yang pintar dan paling kreatif.


** balita tu apa ek? budak kot...

muka kelakar haqqeem

haqqeem skrg suka buat muka kelakar..diantaranya ialah :-







merangkak pun buat muka kelakar...

Sling carrier/gendong

 


I bought this from Ninuk. Remember earlier that i said i want to buy the gendong and i did. I received it yesterday and decided to give it a try. So I see myself infornt of the mirror. Do i look like what others supposed to look when wearing a gendong. I am not really good at it and my baby does look like he feels different...so may be give it time...but it sure is easy to put your baby in not like sling bag...

If you are interested in buying them u may contact sis ninuk at ninuknoviati@gmail.com or also view her blogspot at my fav. blog and see the pics. When my husband is around i will ask for his help to take my picture with the gendong...;)
and post it in my fotopages... 

Good Bacteria

 


Lactobacillus acidophilus is a "friendly" strain of bacteria used to make yogurt and cheese. Although we are born without it, acidophilus soon establishes itself in our intestines and helps prevent intestinal infections. Acidophilus also flourishes in the vagina, where it protects women against yeast infections.

Acidophilus is one of several microbes known collectively as probiotics (literally, "pro life," indicating that they are bacteria and yeasts that help rather than harm). Others include the bacteria L. bulgaricus, L. reuteri, L. plantarum, L. casei, B. bifidus, S. salivarius, and S. thermophilus and the yeast Saccharomyces boulardii. Your digestive tract is like a rain forest ecosystem, with billions of bacteria and yeasts rather than trees, frogs, and leopards. Some of these internal inhabitants are more helpful to your body than others. Acidophilus and related probiotics not only help the digestive tract function, they also reduce the presence of less healthful organisms by competing with them for the limited space available. For this reason, use of probiotics can help prevent infectious diarrhea.

Antibiotics can disturb the balance of your "inner rain forest" by killing friendly bacteria. When this happens, harmful bacteria and yeasts can move in and flourish. This can lead to vaginal yeast infections. Conversely, it appears that the regular use of probiotics can help prevent vaginal infections and generally improve the health of the gastrointestinal system. Whenever you take antibiotics, you should probably take probiotics as well, and continue them for some time after you are done with the course of treatment.



Dlm vitagen ada ni...jadi it is believed can help to cure my gastric. hehehe<taken from healthlibrary.epnet.com 

blog hopping

i like to read especially people's experience. It make u view life in a different way and also thinks that u are not alone in this world yg mengalim pengalaman yg sama.

hari ni perut tak rase sedap. Kalau lah perut ni jernih..boleh tgk apa yg tak kena..ini rasa tak sedap tak tau apa dia.

Haqqeem is not feeling well again. Batuk dan selsema. Ayah dia tak risau ke? I am risau kat dia...takut nanti kene pneumonia sbb selsema lama akan buat kahak dia byk. Haqqeem was diagnosed asthma. He doesn't know how serious is asthma can be to small infants. I had too but my father is health educated. He knows how to take care.

Sometimes I wish my life was different. All the what if's liggering along my mind..But i know Allah's knows best. Has been a long time since I feel happy with ****y. I only feel happy with my son and friends.

I read happily other;s people life who have an understanding ****y.And they are happily ******d. Masyaallah..i hope to be in their shoes one day.

Tak pe la...fikir pasal benda lain...fikiran yg negatif aklan melemahkan kita....

Friendship

 


Once in a lifetime u find friends
who touches not only ur heart
but also ur soul..

Once in a lifetime u discover someone
who stands beside u
not over u..

Once in a lifetime if u r lucky
u find someone
as i have found u

Very special people
we can be ourselves with
talk with
laugh with
hope with
and believe with...

I have very few good friends...my best friends Marini is from Kelantan. I have gone through life a lot with her. We met in 1991 at ITM Segamat when we were doing our Diploma. I've met and stayed at her house. When we were single, we share sad and sweet memories together. I called her everyday at her office and her colleagues would say i am like her boyfriend. Because I would call her and sometimes speak to her everyday. She is a nice person to be with. When she got married, I have trouble adjusting to her new life coz we could not see often. I can only speak to her over the phone. The funny thing is I even started browsing through internet looking for articles on how to cope with life when ur best friend is married..hahaha. Then I married a year after she got married. Four months later, i got pregnant ..so does she. Our children is the same age but only different sex.

next is my coleagues. They are very nice people. I can be myself. We take care of each other. That is why i lasted for 5 years. The reason i stayed is also because of them. But i know life has to go on and i hope that we will be friends forever even if i have to work somewhere else.

I really appreciate their existence in my life.For me, who u choose to be ur best friends has significant impact towards ur life. The decisions that u make in life sometimes depends on what they advise.

I am very fortunate to have met nice friends. They help me to grow up and shape my mind how to see my life in a different way. (Not to mentioned my father too)... 

test

i am trying new software (at least to me)...wonder how it looks like..best gak kalau jadi...

Bad news...

 


last night my hubby came back from his night shift and give me a plastic with avon logo on it. i thought apalah ada kat dlm plestik tu..rupa-rupanya ...sculpting cream...(sabar je la...dia perli aku ker ni..!!)

Then pagi tadi, my hubby tanya dah sapu ker? I cakap le lom g. Mlm nanti le...
Tahu apa dia jawab...ala sapu la pagi dan malam cepat sket...

Dalam hati ..aduh memang dia nak aku kecikkan ni...aiseyman....

at 1.49pm got sms from best friend : "Doc jgka my hubby can go 4 1 or 2 yr je lg. Kalau dia blh sampai 2 or his 43rd bday kira miracle lah 4 his case"..aku terkedu dengar. Telefon dia and try to comfort her. I emphatise for her. Anak dia sebaya anak aku. hubby dia disahkan mengidap dilated cardiomyopathy. I check maksud dia..ia adalah apabila jantung anda adalah besar seperti biasa dan akan membuat jantung anda tidak dapat berfungsi seperti biasa dan boleh mengakibatkan heart failure...

Itulah kuasa tuhan..kalau allah mengkehendakinya akan terjadilah...sekelip mata allah tarik segala kebahagian..kemudahan yg kita sedang nikmati. Satu tahun adalah jangkamasa yg pendek..mana sempat anak itu mengenali sape itu ayah....teringat ummu amir's blog yg aku baca..ada sebab allah pilih dia utk diduga....

Aku berdoa " Ya allah ya tuhanku...panjangkanlah jodohku, panjangkanlah umur hambaMU ini...dan orang disekelilingku..jauhkanlah kami dari penyakit merbahaya..." 

Most Beautiful Reality show on NTV 7

I was able to watch this programme tonite. Dah lama tak ikut tgk2 dah ada 4 finalis. And my fav person dah terkeluar jue. Before this i heard ako's GF is in the show tapi mlm ni baru tahu yang mana satu.

she seem so sad and ako was the one who came to pick her up. i pun kesian kat dia..it's not fair and mcm sayang je cara dia terkeluar..tapi kenapa dia buat mcm tu..there must be a valid reason. Dah nak final lagi bape minggu till next phone call. well, we all don't know what really happen that made her broke the rules...

anyway, finalis yg lain mcm tak gempak je..buat org tak de mood nak tgk ending...

Scan pics of haqqeem

 


Found this in my computer. This Picasa program from Googles is good. It can find all my pictures in the computer. Things that I myself tak tahu kat mana simpan. I have been looking for this scan picture when I first started blogging and haqqeem fotopages. Tapi tak jumpa. Guna Picasa barulah jumpa.

Above is Haqqeem scan. That was the first time I saw him inside my stomach moving. He likes to sleep sideways facing backwards. Patutla bila mak bidan urut I, dia kata baby pandang belakang. Betul...Masa tu tak tahu lagi what sex. I memang nak tahu and don't intend to make it a surprise. Senang nak beli baju. Only bila 6 months baru tahu. I scan kat UH and the doktor told me it is a boy. Tak kisah la...my hubby suka la dapat boy...He already had children from his previous marriage..2 sons and 1 girl...So this is going to be his third.

Bila fikir masa bersalin tu dan mula-mula mengandung, rasa cam tak nak dah mengandung...tapi bila dah ada baby dan ingat masa kita mengandung above 5 months tu...rasa cam nak mengandung balik../hehee ;)

Insyaallah kalu dimurahkan rezeki, I want another child. Tapi kali ni adalah experience sikit...Nak check up kat swasta lah..and kalau cukup duit nak bersalin kat swasta gak...bukan tak nak kat UH..tapi malas lah nak beratur panjang for the check up dan bila masuk check up tak pun smp lima minit...

Tgk la masa tu kan nanti..eh..eh terlebih lebih berangan lak...heheh 

Food Testing

 


Today at my workplace, Museum Restaurant & Cafe ada buat food testing. We are preparing new menu for next month. We are actually serving middle eastern food.

Well above are some of the menu that will be serve. 

My 7 mth old Development - by BabyCentre.com

 


1) Bouncing up and down

Your baby can now support some of his weight on his legs, and he loves to bounce. What's more, he's probably able to sit unsupported (which will free her hands for exploring), and he'll turn when sitting to reach a desired object. He may even be able to get into a sitting position from lying on her stomach by pushing up on his arms.

2) Learning to grab

Your baby's fine motor skills are coming along, too. By now he can probably scoop things up with just one little hand and transfer them from one hand to the other fairly easily. He may also be able to clasp his hands together and sip from a two-handled cup (with your assistance). Before long you'll probably notice the noise level increasing, not only because of your baby's babble, but also because he'll find out how much fun it is to bang objects together.

To encourage fine motor activity, place a toy just out of your baby's reach and watch him try to get it. If he cries because he can't quite get it, keep giving him relaxed encouragement — but not the toy. He's just venting frustration and will become more physically confident more quickly if you don't make everything too easy for him. After a few tries, he'll be able to lean forward to grab it and then straighten himself again. Of course, this will give him ideas, and he'll soon be rocking back and forth on his hands and knees and may crawl or repeatedly roll over to move about the room. Aid his explorations and mobility by dressing him in loose, comfortable clothes.

3) Teething

While your baby may already have begun teething (the average age is five or six months, though it can start as early as three months or as late as 12 months), about now you can expect to see the two upper central incisors, then the two lateral incisors. Don't be alarmed if your baby has gaps between some of his teeth; teeth often come through the gums at odd angles, and any spaces commonly disappear after all 20 baby teeth have broken through. Once your baby starts teething, you can expect more drooling and experimenting with sounds as he adjusts to having these strange new things in his mouth.

4) Testing your authority

By now, you may already have found yourself telling your baby that the telephone is not a toy. Or maybe in your house the reminders revolve around his tossing his rattle in your face. The fact is, at this age your baby may begin testing your authority by refusing to follow your directions or entreaties. When he pushes back, he's not being disobedient or wilful — he's just curious and simply can't remember things for more than a couple of seconds at a time. The best tactic is to use a simple no, then distract him.

5) The beginnings of separation anxiety

If your baby is anxious when he's away from you during the day, his concern will be compounded at bedtime. When he wakes up at night, even for a moment, he'll know you're nearby, and will be vocal about trying to get your attention. You'll feel torn between the strong urge to scoop him up and take him to bed with you and the voices of those who tell you that to do so is to spoil him. Don't worry: it won't hurt to indulge him occasionally — not always — by bringing him into bed with you. When the separation anxiety disappears, you can teach him to sleep by himself again. Of course, if you've opted for the family bed, you'll always be close at night.

Your baby's reluctance to be separated from you may delight you but may also frustrate you at times. In either case, it might help to load a laundry basket with his toys and move it — and him — from room to room so you can get the jobs that need doing around the house done while enjoying each other's company.

6)Recognition skills

Your baby now actively engages in hiding games and can remember that the jack-in-the-box pops up at the end of the song. He's also able to recognise different tones and inflections and may burst into tears if you speak harshly.

7) Figuring out how objects relate

Your baby's beginning to understand how objects relate to one another in three-dimensional space. He may be able to sort toys, grouping items such as blocks by size. And if he admires his reflection in a window, and you suddenly appear behind his image, he's likely to turn and look for you instead of believing that you're in the mirror itself.

If you've noticed that a simple game of peekaboo is absolutely fascinating to your baby, it's because he's also starting to understand object permanence and loves games where people or things appear and disappear. In fact, one of the easiest ways to keep a seven-month-old occupied is by hiding an object under a blanket for him to discover.

8) Stimulating toys and games

Your baby enjoys playing the same game over and over because he likes predictability. In addition to peekaboo (see above), try adding classics such as round and round the garden and patta-cake patta-cake to your repertoire.

At this age, babies also tend to gravitate toward stuffed animals, both big and small. Most likely, one will emerge as the favourite security object and will soon be covered in dribble and have to accompany you everywhere. When adding new members to your soft toy collection, look for soft, well-stitched stuffed toys that can be washed. Other good toys include balls, nesting cylinders, pop-up toys, and large dolls.

If your baby has a favourite plaything or two, you may start to realise that the expression "as easy as taking sweets from a baby" no longer applies. While it used to be easy to remove things from her grasp, you may now find her protesting loudly when you take toys and other things away.

9) Is my baby developing normally?
Remember, each baby is unique and meets physical milestones at his own pace. These skills are simply a guide to what your baby has the potential to accomplish — if not right now, then shortly.

And if your baby was born prematurely, you'll probably find that it will be a little while before she can do the same things as other children her age. Don't worry. Most doctors assess a premature child's development from the time she should have been born and evaluate her skills accordingly.