Happy Nine Months

Dear Little Sheraz,

You just turned 9 months old. Nine is a big number, baby Sheraz! I hope you don't mind if I keep calling you baby Sheraz, even if your father is now quite reluctant to call you a baby, because you always act like an older boy, a smart young boy. Whatever it is, for me you're still the little newborn in my heart.

It's been 9 months that bunda and ayah have been spending our wonderful time with you. I just can't stop feeling how grateful we are to have the chance to know you, to take care of you, to love you from the very beginning, counting from the first 9 months before we saw each other for the first time.

As far as I'm concerned, this is the first delayed monthly letter I ever wrote. Normally I would write in the evening of each of your birthdate. But this month is different. On the 15 evening, your birthdate, I found that you had a fever when I picked you up at the nursery. Usually I would see your smiling face and listen to your babble like you're telling me stories of what you have done the whole day while I'm away. But that day you just put your head on my shoulder before I placed you in the car seat. Your teacher said you had been having no mood. It's sad to see you in such condition. However once you were in the car, even when you were unwell, you still wanted to talk to me, but with the slowest tone. You just relaxed yourself in the your seat, instead of lifting your head up, being curious and fascinated by the things around our car. When we reached home, I carried you so that you could see ayah mowing the grass but only to find a few minutes later that you threw up on me. I was so shocked to see how everything you'd eaten spurted out of you. I just couldn't believe it was happening to such a little boy like you.

I know you don't like medicine, but you still have to take it for your own goodness. The liquid that goes into your mouth would always be spurted straightway. You know that tastes way different from the milk. That day ayah helped to give you one. You didn't fight so much, but still you clamped your mouth shut.





Your sleep that night was a kind of a restless one. You woke up a few times to nurse and woke up for the day very early at 4 AM. But still your body temperature was high. So ayah had to send you to your grandma, with the hope that you'll get better attention there. Your grandma said "Ini demam nak jalan." Is that true, baby?

Sheraz, alhamdulillah you are fine now. You're back to play and explore your day. You have shown interest in walking. You like to come to bunda and ayah wanting to taktih. The first trial of taktih was funny. You just couldn't wait and ran. Later you understood that taktih is meant to learn how to walk, not run. Now you are able to taktih with only one hand holding bunda's and the other carrying Ee-O or your bolster. You like cruising round the furniture, from one couch to another couch or to the coffee table. When they are a bit too far from your reach, sometimes you just decide to jump instead of taking a step. If we pull the furniture farther, you still choose to crawl rather than walking. Now you can stand by pulling yourself up without holding to anything. But it always lasts only for a few second. Sheraz, you can grow in any pace, we are still proud of you.

Sheraz bunda's lil poppet, you like to see bunda's dancing. I love to see you big eyes and the expression on your face like you're so amazed of what I'm doing. You must be surprised that our body can spin around, jump and make movements. I hope that encourages you to walk, move and control your body. Last week we were surprised to see you 'dancing'. When ayah turned the musical mobile, you moved your body up and down or back and forth followed the rhythm. Ayah even caught you as you were moving up and down while your other hand holding the musical mobile. You smiled and looked proud. It was cute.

Sheraz little sunshine, you just discovered that those stacking wooden panels which we call drawers can slide to open. It's impossible to leave you alone where drawers are located because you like to pull them out. We are afraid they would fall on your feet. Bunda and ayah have started to do something to baby proofing our home. The staircase is enclosed with gates, one downstairs and the other one upstairs. We have covered sharp corners on the cabinets and especially the coffee table where you like to cruise around. We have put power point plugs to every reachable spot. Soon ayah will install the drawer locks. We try to do anything we can do to keep you safe.



Sheraz, you like to eat a lot. Your favorite food is chicken. Sometimes you'd get angry if I spoon feed you too long. You chew, swallow and wanting over and over again. If you see the bowl is empty and yet you're not satisfied, you'd cry. The most I ever gave you were around 8 oz of rice, chicken, carrot and celery. It was a lot! You slowed it down to give me signal once you're full. Your face will clearly show when you're contented.

Little Sheraz, another month has come and gone. We're so happy to have all those wonderful surprises. I love to see you progress and develop. I love you more everyday. Be a good boy, and keep on shining, Sheraz.

You'll never know how much we love you.

Hugs and kisses,