Fly high my dear Athena

Fly up high my baby...
Fly away to the sky my baby...
Up up to the sky without fear...
Yes fly away & smile so wide...
spread your wings,
raise your hands,
your dream is a sweet beginning...
of tomorrow's can tell,

I raise you high,
for you to be wise enough,
to groom wings to other who need,
lend yours for people in desperate,

share your love, share your laugh,
for that simplest thing meant so much to others..
my love will stay in your heart.

Piano Maestro

isn't she gorgeous!

Baby Talks and how to stimulate the talkings

when your babies reaches 7 months or older, they start babbling many words... merrier than before they could babble. When my baby was yet one month year old, she used to babble "mamamamama......" and "acrreeew". But on later months, she will learn from hearing that some words are meant to be spoken.. like she start knowing that Yamm-Yamm means meal time... or that they start knowing that some words refer to someone.
Thena started recognizing her name when she was like 3 months, though we have different nicknames to call her, but still she noticed that. And she noticed a lot on her parents or family that are close with her..
Like one time Thena spending 3 nights sleeping with Manda only, without Panda. Thena notice the not-being-around Panda, by pointing to Panda's photo at the bedroom wall.
Thena start pointing fingers at 7 months, that's when she started trying to tell what she wanted and what she liked. And apparently this month, Thena start clapping her hands when she fond of something, or when she was happy.
She celebrates everydays enjoyment of her life by clapping her hands..
Especially when Manda sings "Paddy Cake Paddy Cake.. Baker's a man.. bake me a cake as fast as you can!" or in eyang's version : "Pok ame ame, belalang kupu kupu, siang makan nasi, malam minum susu " hehehe......
I think these days are moments when Thena start learning the language through visual cues.
Well, she learned in advance apparently thru pointing fingers & clapping her hands.
and now, Manda & Eyang start to teach her the visual cues of sleeping, hungry, want some milk, and of course poop-time ^_^.
Manda also exercising Thena to understand "no-no" sign and "yes, it's okay" sign from Manda.
One thing she understand well due to her headbump to the chair... she understand the "Bump & ea--ea--" as a sign of hurt -- well taught by Eyang ^_^
Visual cues like that help us to understand the baby better. Understanding her "needs & wants" help to smoothen the communication in which will leverage the interaction level between baby & adult. Effective communication & human interaction will definitely contribute a positive impact towards babies.
Like eyang said, Babies learn to grow... they'will not become babies forever. That's why we should motivate & stimulate our baby aas best as we can.


Attached is a very good article from babycenter.com to read for Mommies & those related with Babies...

Babies discern languages through visual cues

THURSDAY, May 24 (HealthDay News) — Infants can tell the difference between two languages without hearing the spoken words, simply by watching the face of the adult who is talking, a Canadian study says.

"It is important, because it tells us how babies are prepared to learn multiple languages," said Whitney Weikum, a doctoral candidate in neural sciences at the University of British Columbia who led the experiment.

Working under the supervision of Janet Werker, a professor of psychology at the university, Weikum had three groups of infants, ages 4, 6 and 8 months, from bilingual Canadian homes watch silent video clips of an adult speaking either French or English.

"The baby watches the screen and sees the faces of the people talking," Weikum said. "When the baby's looking time declines, the computer switches and starts a clip of an adult talking the other language. The baby notices the switch and starts watching the screen again."

That ability to tell the difference can diminish over time, depending on what languages are spoken in the home, the study found. Eight-month-old babies from bilingual French-English homes would return their attention to the screen when the language was changed. But the ability to tell the difference was lost at about 8 months of age by babies from homes where only one language was spoken.

One point made by the study, published in the May 25 issue of the journal Science, is that "language is multimodal," Weikum said. "Studies have shown that aural cues are important. This now shows the importance of visual cues."

Laura-Ann Petitto, a cognitive neuroscientist who is director of the Cognitive Neuroscience Laboratory for Language, Bilingualism and Child Development at Dartmouth College, said: "This is a landmark study about the ways that babies use multiple cues to enable them to distinguish between languages. The study suggests that, at an abstract and deep level, the learning brain might not be tied to speech itself."

It has been known that young deaf babies use visual cues to help them learn language, Petitto said, "but we never dreamed that a hearing baby can also be learning language using visual cues."

Petitto said the study has "important implications," because "it supports the belief that the brain can use multiple cues in language processing and suggests that multiple cues in teaching languages can be beneficial."

The findings also have practical applications for remedial speech teaching, Petitto said. "Various remedial tools use multi-stimuli," she said. "This is wonderful confirmation that the multiple cues that we give babies are actually useful."

Peter Gordon, associate professor of speech and language pathology at Teachers College of Columbia University, said an interesting follow-up study would be to add another language to the mix.

"If we gave them say, Russian or Chinese, a language that they are not adapted to, we would predict that they would be like the monolingual group," he said.
-- Ed Edelson, HealthDay News

Little Athena in Action !

Thena doesn't like waring hat! at All !
She tried to take it off, but look where it ended... ^_^

Little Thena start crawling over everywhere, and picking up things that ends up in her mouth!
This is why, we never leave her alone. not trusting her alone. not yet thena ...

Six Teeth at 8th months

I was surprisingly astonish that my baby has 6 teeth already!
No wonder she bites everything, seems like wanting the whole world to know
Upper Central & Lateral Incisor & Lower central incisor!
WOW!

A lovely surprise for the long weekend!

^_^

Day Care List

LIST PLAYGROUP

Jakarta Pusat
1. Budi Mulia Jl. Mangga Besar Raya Jakarta Pusat
2. Holy Angel, Jl. Tanah Abang II No. 11, Jakarta Pusat. Tel 3809577
3. Mutiara Indonesia cab. mangga besar Jl. Mangga Besar VI/50 Jak-Pus, 11150
4. Mutiara Indonesia cab. Pejompongan Jl. Tondano no. 12 Jak-Pus 570-8697
5. Mutiara Indonesia Jl. Cik Ditiro, Menteng, Jak-Pus
6. Regency Playgroup cab. cempaka putih Jl. Rawasari Selatan, Cempaka Putih, Jak-Pus, 10570
7. Regency Playgroup cab. Petojo Jl. Pembangunan II/8 Petojo Utara, Jak-Pus, 10130 384-9083
8. Regency playgroup cab. senen Jl. Kepu Selatan, Senen, Bungur, Jak-Pus, 10460
9. TK Ar Rahman Belakang Hotel Regent, Jak-Pus
10. TK Mini Pak Kasur Cikini V/2, Jak-Pus 338-179

Jakarta Selatan
1. Bambino Jl. Brawijaya no. 4, Kebayoran Baru, Jak-Sel 720-3356
2. Bina Keluarga Balita (menengah-bawah Kelurahan Duren tiga, Pancoran, Jak-Sel
3. Ceria Montessori Jl. Simpruk Golf IIIJakarta SelatanTel. 7221369
4. Delima Jl. Bangka XI-C/9B, Kemang, Jak-Sel 719-6236 719-1144
5. High/Scope Pre-School Jl. Metro Pondok Indah No. 33, Jak-Sel 780-7644/722-2325
6. Kartini Pre School Jl. Raya Cilandak KKO No. 60 Jakarta SelatanTel. 7807644
7. Kembang Jl. Kemang II/1, Jak-Sel 799-5016
8. Kidsports Family Fun & Fitness Kompleks Pondok Indah Golf and Country Club, Jl. Metro Pondok Indah No. 1, Jakarta 12310 751-2403, 766-5028, 766-5029 5209366
9. Kids'World - fun educational centre at Jalan Suryo no. 5 - Senopati Jakarta Selatan. Telp 72792075, 72794369
10. Kinderfield at Mall Ambassador Lt. 5 Casablanca Ph.5762376
11. Kinderland Pre School Pondok Indah Housing Estate Jl. Sekolah Duta V No. 3 Pondok IndahJakarta Selatan Tel. 7653077
12. Kinderland Pre SchoolBona Indah Housing EstateJl. Bona Vista RayaLebak Bulus, Jakarta SelatanTel. 7692988, 7692989
13. Mutiara Indonesia cab. Bintaro Jl. RSC Veteran no. 20, Jak-Sel
14. Mutiara Indonesia cab. Cinere, Jl. Cinere Raya no.19. Telp.7543730
15. Mutiara Indonesia cab. Cipete Jl. Gaharu II/15, Jak-Sel 754-3730
16. Mutiara Indonesia cab. Kalibata Jl. Kalibata Tengah no. 5, Jak-Sel
17. Mutiara Indonesia cab. Pamulang, Jl. Molek Raya Blok AX.24 no. 1 dan 2, Pamulang Permai, telp. 74705001.
18. OSSC(One Stop Study Center), yayasan Tunas Muda Jl. Iskandarsyah I no. 11, Kebayoran Baru, Jak-Sel 730-3422
19. Pondok Indah Montesorri Jl. Metro Pondok Indah TG XI 39, Jak-Sel 765-4617
20. Regency Playgroup cab. Kebayoran Jl. Wijaya X/I, Kebayoran Baru, Jak-Sel, 12310
21. Regency Playgroup cab. Tebet Jl. Tebet Barat XII/3, Jak-Sel, 12810
22. Shinning Stars,Jl Elang Raya, Bintaro sektor 9 Telp: 74861012
23. Start Bright Pre School Jl. Hang Tuah II/2, Kebayoran Baru, Jak-Sel 765-4617
24. Sunshine Pre School, Yayasan Pengembangan Anak Mentari Sunshine Pre School Jl. Lamandau IV no. 1, Jak-Sel 726-5515/726-5516
25. Tadikapuri, cab. Blok M Jl. Panglima Polim V/62, Kebayoran Baru, Jak-Sel, 12160
26. Tadikapuri, cab. Kebayoran Baru Jl. Dharmawangsa I/22, Jak-Sel, 12160
27. Tadikapuri, cab. Kebayoran Baru Jl. Raya I/33, Kebayoran Baru, Jak-Sel, 12120
28. Tadikapuri, cab. Kebayoran Baru Wijaya Grand Center Blok A 11, Jl. Wijaya II, Jak-Sel, 12160
29. Taman Bermain Kepompong Jl. Bangka Raya 99B, Jak-Sel, 12720

30. Teddy Bear Taman Balita Jl. Metro Pondok Indah 61, Jak-Sel 769-1701
31. The Kids Club Fan Languages International Jl. Cikajang 56, Kebayoran Baru, Jak-Sel 726-9390
32. TK Mini Pak Kasur Jl. H. Noor. Pasar Minggu 7946568
33. Tumble Tots Mall Ambassador Lt. 5 Casablanca Ph.5760376
34. Tumble Tots Pondok Indah Plaza II, Jl. Metro Pondok Duta Niaga Blok BA II no. 43, Tel : 7510454
35. Tutor Time cab. Kemang Jalan Kemang Utara no. 56 Jak-Sel 12730 Tel: 71793139, 7182087
36. Tutor Time cab. Pondok Indah Jl. Arteri Pondok Indah no. 1, Jak-Sel (behind QB Plaza) Tel: 72798185, 72798223
37. Tutor Time Jl. Kemang Utara 56, Jak-Sel 799-3139
38. Yayasan Brawijaya Brawijaya Apartments Ground FL, Jl. Brawijaya XII no.1, Jak-Sel 722-7221

Jakarta Timur
1. ABC kids - Bukit Rafflesia blok E-2, Cibubur telp. 8454508
2. Kinderland Pre School Pulo Mas Housing Estate Jl. Kayu Putih Raya Blok A IV Kav. 1-4 Pulo Mas, Jakarta Timur Tel. 4706722, 9111635
3. Mutiara Indonesia cab. Pondok Kelapa jl. Kelapa Hijau Raya Blok M No. 8-9, Kompleks Billy & Moon, Jak-Tim 864-2960
4. Mutiara Indonesia cab. Pulomas Jl. Kayu Putih Selatan Kav. IV D No. 58, Jak-Tim 471-3168
5. Pelangi playgroup Komplek Taman Modern Cakung, Blok G2 No 17 Cakung - Jakarta Timur Telp 4619166
6. Regency Playgroup cab. Cipinang Jl. Cipinang Elok II, Cipinang Muara, Jaktim, 13420
7. Regency Playgroup cab. Matraman Jl. Slamet Riyadi 8A, Jaktim, 13150

Jakarta Barat
1. Aisyah 2 Jl. Susilo 1 Rt013/03, Jak-Bar 563-397
2. Al-Azhar Jl. Kemandoran I/79, Jak-Bar 532-7437
3. Anggrek Mal, 4th Unit E05 563-9247
4. Ciputra Mal 5th Fl Unit 33 560-5544
5. Dunia Montessori Taman Surya III J4 no. 7, Jak-Bar 545-8330
6. Ecclesia Jl. Taman Ratu Blok A-1/22, Jak-Bar 565-0851
7. Gracefields Kindergarten Jl. Kembang Abadi VII Blok A 14/14 Puri Indah-11610 (021)- 5803811/581-7182
8. Kawan-Kawan Selvy Jl. Srengseng Kembangan Kebon Jeruk, Jakarta Barat e-mail: selvy@asia.com
9. Kinderland Pre School, Yayasan Bumi Raya Putra Jl. Surya Gardenia, Sunrise Garden, Jak-Bar, 11520 580-2323, 911-1635
10. Kinderworld Montessori Preschool, Jl. Kembang Sakti Timur I Blok D-9 NO. 21-22, Puri Indah, Jakarta Barat, Tel 5805088
11. Ladybird Preschool and English Activity Center Jl. Surya Timur W/26 Sunrise Garden, Jakarta Barat 11520 (021)-580-0389/530-5892
12. Lolly Pop Surya Utama J/8 Sunrise Garden, Jak-Bar 581-8725
13. Mutiara Indonesia cab. Citra Garden Perumahan Taman Surya II Blok B4 no. 1, Kalideres, Jak-Bar 544-1039
14. Mutiara Indonesia cab. Taman Surya, Perumahan Taman Surya II Blok B 4/1. Telp. 5441039
15. Mutiara Indonesia cab. Tanjung Duren, Jl. Kebon Raya 11 JakBar, tel. 5652526
16. Mutiara Indonesia Jl. Srengseng Raya no. 17. Kebon Jeruk, Jakarta Barat 5841384
17. OSSC(One Stop Study Center), Yayasan Tunas Muda Jl. Kedoya Angsana D13 no. 1 dan 18, Jak-Bar 580-2035
18. Permata Indonesia Jl. Mandala Raya No. 5 Jakarta Barat Tel. 5682229
19. Puri Indah, Rukan Sentra Niaga Puri Indah T3/16 583-02982-3
20. Regency Playgroup Jl. Akasia Baru B 10/25, Taman Kedoya Baru 580-0294
21. Sanggar Bobo Mal Ciputra
22. Saraswati Jl. Raya Kembangan II, Jak-Bar 580-8904
23. Saraswati Pre-School Jl Raya Pejuangan no. 28, Kb. Jeruk Jakarta Barat
24. The Kids Club Fun Languages International Jl. Penyelesaian Tomang I Blok 7/13, Meruya, Jakarta Barat 586-9958
25. Tutor Time cab. Jak Bar, Jl. Puri Kencana Blok L7/1, ph: 5811664, 58300003

Jakarta Utara
1. Mutiara Indonesia cab Sunter Blok HA 5 no. 1, Sunter Agung Pogomoro, Jak-Ut 082-131102
2. Mutiara Indonesia cab. Kelapa Gading, Jl. Janur Elok IV, Blok QE 9 no. 1, Kelapa Gading, Jakut. Telp. 4529301
3. Regency Playgroup cab. Pluit Jl. Pluit Barat VI no. 24, Penjaringan, Jak-Ut, 14450
4. Regency Playgroup cab. Tanjung Priok Jl. Flamboyan 101/1, T. Priok, Jak-Ut, 13420
5. Tumble Tots Wisma ADR 5th Floor, Jl. Pluit Selatan no. 1A 661-9290 661-9270
6. Tutor Time cab. Kelapa Gading I Jl. Raya Janur Elok QC 14/12, Kelapa Gading, Jak-Ut Tel: 4516269, 4516913
7. Tutor Time cab. Kelapa Gading II Komp. Ruko Bukit Gading Indah O15/16, Kelapa Gading, Jak-Ut Tel: 45842794-95
8. Tutor Time cab. Pluit, Jl. Pluit Utara Raya No. 72, Tel : 6692513, 6619860

Bekasi
1. Al-Muzzammil, Playgroup / Tk, Perum Graha Indah-Bekasi ph : 849 94346
2. Mutiara Indonesia cab. Bekasi (TK+SD) Jl. Cikunir Kampung Dua, Jaka Sampurna - Bekasi Selatan. Telp. 8867163
3. TK Al- Azhar Kemang Pratama, Pekayon Ph : 885 5758
4. TK Ar Rahman, Komplek Perum Graha Indah - Bekasi Ph : 849 70136

Bogor
1. Mutiara Indonesia cab. Bogor, Jl. Cikurai no. 17. Telp. 0251-354642

Tangerang
1. Mutiara Indonesia cab. BSD : Sektor XIV1-4-11, telp.5381255
2. Mutiara Indonesia cab. Citra Raya Jl. Raya Serang km. 14.7 kec.cikupa Tangerang. Telp. 5969087

Depok
1. Mutiara Indonesia cab. Depok, Jl. Kartini no. 56A, Margonda Ujung Depok. Telp. 7762610
2. TKIT Az Zahra, Kompleks Perum Kemang Ifi Graha -Bekasi Ph : 821 4487

Bandung
1. Mutiara Indonesia cab. Bandung 1, Jl. Suka Wangi no.5 (Setia Budi), Bandung - 40153. Telp. 022-2038165, fax 022-231198
2. Mutiara Indonesia cab. Bandung 2, Jl. Ranggamalela no. 6. Telp.022-4203996
3. Tutor Time cab. Bandung, Jl. Dipati Ukur no. 7 (Jl. Kyai Gede Utama corner), Tel : 2500031, 2501145

Athena's Curiosity

Shalia Athena, 8 months.
very curious to things,
sometimes with the ants on the floor,
the wall lizard in the room,
and today's.. on the grasshoppers.

"What could that greeny thing be?"
"Mommy, it's looking at me!"
"it's nodding its head!"
"it has antena just like TV!"
"Mommy mommy, I think it's sad..."

Actually there's a tragic story behind this picture. This picture was taken when we were visiting Eyang kakung for holiday at Bogor. Eyang was so excited to give the grasshoper to Thena. FYI, the grasshopper from eyang is actually meant for his birds feeding.. so yes that poor grasshopper does not meant to have a long life...
And well... Thena is in a very curious moment where she doesn't afraid of anything but Manda (hehehe)..
Ants were afraid of Thena , she chase them all over the terrace and scare them away... Lucky for the wall lizard, then couldn't chase them so they could peacefully hide somewhere behind the photos.
But this grasshoper.. Thena sorta smash and squeeze it, we told her not to squeeze too hard and to let it go.. she let it go yes, but not her eyes.. and we distract her with something else... (with Manda's ASI actually)
But poor Grasshopper apparently too dizzy or weak or I don't know why... the next 20 minutes I saw it was being taken over by the ants on Eyang's front yards. poor grasshopper.... Manda & Panda felt so guilty...

Shop shop shop

Manda's biggest sins when I was a first jobber were SHOES... lotta shoes.....
and Jackets..... love jackets !

Known as impulsive buyer, I believe in the gratification of unsuspected shopping pleasure.
There were certain months when I targeted to get a job done and treat myself with a white pump shoes... or red shoes... or even polka dot one (of which I just realized that I never wore the polka dot one....). Bought 3-4 for every day of purchase. Obsessed with 1 but end up purchasing 3. And there were certain moments when I planned to buy a shirt, but end up buying 2 with the same type & motive but different color!!
And not mentioning purchasing Jacket to every business trip.

Then my size get larger, my body size & my shoes size.

Then I got married and thought, hey I will manage my life better -- spent on the necessary ones and by the way -- it's not very easy to get what I want with my current size.
Then I got pregnant...
and start over to buy baby things. I said to myself, Hey it's very normal, it's my first child!
And when the baby girl was born...
the shopping for ultimate pleasure devil is back! hahahah
I know I have a bad habit of purchasing things spontaneously, so yes I limited my self exposure to Mothercare. Yeuuuppp!
I said to my self, try to limited yourself to go to a shopping points that can lure your eyes. Yes, I manage that.
But thanks to technology and internet.. I can browse lotsa stuffs here, and thought that I can survive, hahahaha...
I start buying things for Athena.
I love buying things for her! toys, shoes, dress, books, stuffs..
So, Yes, I still a shoes-a-holic, but in little thena's size ^_^
This sin is fortunately forgiven by everyone, hehehe
Eyang can say nothing.... and Panda can only smiles....
and the best is that Thena smiles !

But Thena darling, when you're older, you should be wiser than me... yes you should.... hehehe

Weekend at Bogor

On a sunny saturday....
February 23rd 2008,

just a week to eight months year-old Athena was visiting Eyang Kakung's house in Bogor. "Yes, Eyang, here we come!"
Thena was all prepared waiting for Papanda to come back from his high school reunion and let's get going to Eyang's.
Eyang's been beeping mamanda all morning!
And finally Papanda came home. Ok Papanda let's go straight to Bogor!

Turn out that Bogor is far from sunny.
We arrive there safely. And Eyang promptly hold Athena =)


Hehehe...
This is Thena's face template when he was confused..
she probably hasn't met Eyang in quite a long time...
Thena's face saying "Help me Mamanda!"
hahaha... kidding..




Let's go for a night-ride!















Little Thena is all set up with her long legged dolly on the back, and all the tiny animal stuffs upfront...

"yes yes I'm prepared!"

Little Thena with her walker buggy start exploring Eyang Kakung's house....




Again with Eyang in the Morning...












And near Saung Saungan....









What a nice weekends !