Happy Mother's Day

to all mommies over the world.
It is the joys and fears of motherhood that
make us much stronger over time ...

Thank you Senor Pablo for your wishes ...
and CQ would like to add 3 names to the list of blogging Mommies:


1. Princess Nashwa
2. Mimi
3. Bunny Pablo

Never, never, never

A little baby girl aged three months suffered six fractured ribs, both of her legs were fractured and her brain was so damaged that if she was to live, she would be a vegetable. Therefore, her mother did something no mother should ever have to do. The young mother did what was right and best for the little baby girl by taking her off the life support.

The little baby girl had been entrusted to a male caregiver who had probably had shaken her fatally.

This act is called Shaken baby Syndrome (SBS). SBS is the shaking of an infant or child by the arms, legs or shoulders with or without the impact of the head. Shaking, jerking or jolting can cause blood vessels in the head to tear or burst. This trauma can result in bleeding and brain injury with no outwards signs of abuse.

Often, frustrated caregivers feel that shaking a baby or child is a harmless way to stop them from crying. However, a baby's brain and blood vessels are vulnerable to whiplash motions such as shaking, jerking, jolting and impact.

The neck muscles of a baby or small child is weak, so the child's head is relatively heavy and the neck cannot support the stress of shaking or impact.

Therefore, shaking a baby or a small child with or without the impact of the head, can cause irreversible brain damage, blindness, cerebral palsy, hearing loss, spinal chord injury, seizures, learning disabilities and even death!

It is a tragic that healthy and intelligent babies and small children are suffering from these disabilities simply because their caregivers do not know the dangers associated to Shaken baby Syndrome.

More info about SBS.

Umi turns 68

CQ has always addressed her as Umi. Today, CQ's dearly beloved mother-in-law, Umi Sharifah Hjh Maimunah Binti Syed Mohammad Al-Sagoff turns 68 years.

Happy Birthday!

It was a night to remember ...when Arab-Families celebrated the 68th birthday of Umi Sharifah Hjh Maimunah last night with families, friends, business associates and special individuals from the Pusat Bahagia.

BinKhalid ~ CEO of Serikandi Groups of Companies gave an opening speech.

Special individualss from the Pusat Bahagia (pictures above and below) receiving girfts from Sharifah Hjh Maimunah and Tuan Ahmad Khuttubuddin Bin Ibrahim

Other happenings around the restaurant

Sherry, Mrs. Sam, Mr. Sam, Umi Sharifah Hjh Maimunah posed with Shaikh Hj Ahmad

Shaikh Hj Said shared some light moments with beloved father, Shaikh Hj Ahmad

Mr. Sam entertained VIP table ~ Sharifah Hjh Aisah, Malai Hj Mohammad and Hjh Aina

Ohhh look! Princess Nashwa @KB Happening & family made it happening at table 12 =)

Friends of the Arab-Families

Bling-Bling Sistas

they sang ...

they danced ...

dance performance

Anak2 ~ Anak2-menantu, cucu2 with grandma

CQ do not know if this was a karaoke or singing session ~ they seemed to be 'shouting'

Lucky for the Sams who bagged 2 prizes from the lucky draws

Special shuffle?? dance for his Nini Wak

Miqean showed his talent in 'shuffle' dance ..??



CQ was really tempted to join Miqean dance steps but ....hehehe

The Serikandi staff that were behind the scene in preparing and making the birthday event went smoothly.

p.s. dang-doot gang on facebook =)

A mother's love ..

CQ believed that most of us are aware of the recent devastating earthquake that took place last Monday, in Wen Chuan - China.

Thousands of people have been killed and many more could still be missing or not found yet. Amidst horrors of the natural disaster, there are many touching stories from the Wen Chuan tragedy.

CQ received one such story thru' an email that has been translated into English because this Chinese friend thought that this love story of a mother should not stay only in the Chinese community.

"When rescuers found her, she was already dead, crushed by the collapsed house. Through gaps in the rubbles, they could see her posture. Kneeling on both knees, her entire upper body bent forward, held up by her two hands pressed against the ground, as if performing the ceremonial bow in an ancient ritual.

Except, her body had been compressed out of shape and looked somewhat eerie. A rescuer extended his hand through a gap and confirmed her death. He called out to her, and tapped on the bricks with his shaft, but received no response.

As the team walked toward next building, the squad leader suddenly turned back, yelling as he ran, 'Come quick!' He came to her remain, labored to maneuver his hand under her body, searching. He called out following some rummaging, 'There's someone, a child, still alive.'

With some effort, rescuers carefully removed the debris burying her, found her child lying beneath her, bundled in a little red blanket decorated with yellow flower prints. He was about 3-4 months old.


Shielded by his mother's body , he was totally unharmed, sleeping peacefully as he was brought out. His soundly asleep face warmed the hearts of all rescuers on the scene. As the rescue team's doctor unbundled the blanket to examine the baby, he discovered a mobile phone tucked into the blanket. He subconsciously looked at the display, found there was a SMS message.

'My Dear Baby, If you were to stay alive, you must remember that I love you.'

No stranger to the pain and sorrow brought by death, the doctor nonetheless wept at this moment. The cell phone was passed around, every person who read the message wept."

CQ too wept while reading this story. Tho' CQ could not confirm the authenticity of this story, CQ was wondering what will happen to the little helpless baby. The only memories he has of his beloved mother is her last SMS message during an earthquake. The dead woman showed her unconditional love in protecting her son from harm with her very own life.

Reflecting on CQ's own experience, it will definitely be a struggle and challenge for this little baby boy to grow up without his mother by his side :'(

Happy Mother's Day

A mother is a rose whose petals are soft ..

A mother is a lily whose stem is tall and strong ..

A mother is a person who is never wrong and ..

A mother is a person you should love forever ..

She was the one person who carried me to full term, who sang me lullabies and paid attention to my cries during the long nights. She was my mother.

It is hard growing up without her being there for me, to love, to care, to listen to my woes and frustrations, to guide and teach what mothers usually do. Watching other kids with their mothers makes me crave for a mother's love which i never knew.

* * * * * *

Mother-in-law is not only a mother but also a friend and confidante.

The secret of being a mother is full of joy, fears and hopes!

Mrs. Sam, Bunny Pablo, Sherry, Mdm Rose, Mdm Tiff, Mdm Jarah,
Ladybiker, CQ :) & Beya

There are no specific criteria or rules on how to be a good mother. It is a process of life. You go through ups and downs too. It is through experience that you become a better you and find new challenges, be positive, be patient, say and do wonderful things for your family, instill good if not excellent qualities of life; guide through happy and sad moments with your loved ones and above all learn by asking the peers.

In today's world, motherhood is no more confined to domestic affairs. They play important roles in contributing to the ever-challenging society. Mothers of this century are career-minded and ambitious.

In juggling their time between family and career, a percentage of today's modern mum, still have time to enjoy what they love to do - be it window shopping, try out new fashion, be a sports freak and enjoy a night's out with girlfriends.

Remember! The hand that rocks the cradle, may rock the world! Though at times, she may not be the best of friends, may not agree to our thoughts but she is still our mother.

Ask yourself...have you put aside enough time to listen to her 'blues'?? Be tactful, say you love her, show her due respect and appreciate your mother - don't take for granted. There is no substitute for her.

You don't know it is worth until it's gone. Once gone, only fond memories of the past and also regrets will be left. So LOVE your mothers well.

CQ wishes all young mothers, veteran mothers, soon-to-be-mothers, mothers-in-laws, foster mothers and step-mothers... A Happy Mothers' Day!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY to ...

Mami Mah
May Allah bless you with long life, good health, faith, happiness, wealth ..and have a wonderful Mother's Day!

p.s. when will be the next groceries shopping? :)

Make your mother smile ...

Mother's Day is a couple of days away ...have you thought of any plans for your mother?? It is not just about saying 'I love you, mom ..' - she deserves more than that.

To Sons who have widowed mothers, why not spend some pleasant time with her. Take her out for a dinner date and a movie or go out and have a mother-son outing. CQ is sure your missuses will understand :)

Huh? What? da missus sulking already? merajuk kahhh? Ok lah ok lah da missus can tag along ..the more the merrier ..right?? :))

Let your mother have that nostalgic smile on her face again and you will make your mother one of the happiest women on earth.

Mrs. Sam's red poppy? flower :)

Something to share ...

"Somebody said it takes about six weeks to get back to normal after you've had a baby, somebody doesn't know that once you're a mother - 'normal' is history.

Somebody said you can't love the second child as much as you love the first, somebody doesn't have two or more children.

Somebody said the hardest part of being a mother is labour and delivery, somebody never watched her 'baby' get on the bus for the first day of kindergarten or on a plane headed for military 'boot camp.'

Somebody said a Mother can stop worrying after her child gets married, somebody doesn't know that marriage adds a new son or daughter-in-law to a mother's heartstrings.

Somebody said a mother's job is done when her last child leaves home, somebody never had grandchildren.

Somebody said your mother knows you love her, so you don't need to tell her ...well somebody isn't a mother. "

One of the Best Photo Awards by National Geographic

Well, this is not just about being a mother - it is about appreciating the people in your lives while you have them... no matter who that person is!

Nothing in life is more important than your family. Give them the time they deserve, because these things cannot be put off till some 'other' time.

3rd Cervical Cancer Awareness Month 2008
in Singapore

Complimentry Pap Smear screening for all

Singaporean & PR women aged 25-69

will be offered from 1-31 May 2008

Click here for more information

* * * * * * * * * *


Shower your Mom with Love this May

One of the Best Photo Awards by National Geographic

Chill out! It's Saturday!

Once during a Management Training Program, a team of Senior Managers were given an assignment to measure the height of a flagpole.

So these Managers went out to the flagpole with ladders and tape. They are falling off the ladders, dropping the measuring tape - the whole thing is just a mess!

An Engineer comes along and sees what they're trying to do; walks over, pulls the flagpole out of the ground, lays it flat, measures it from end to end, gives the measurement to one of the Managers. He re-erects the flagpole and walks straight away.

After the Engineer has gone, one Manager turns to another and laughs, "Isn't that just like an Engineer? We're looking for height and he gives length!"

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

This happened about a month ago just outside of Lim Chu Kang cemetery and while it sounds like an Alfred Hitchcock tale - it is a real kind of Singapore ghost story.

This Ah Beng was on the side of the road looking for a taxi on a real dark night at around 3AM in the middle of a heavy thunderstorm. Time passed slowly and no cars went by. It was raining so hard he could hardly see his hand in front of his face.

Suddenly he saw a car moving slowly, approaching and appearing ghost-like in the rain. It slowly and silently crept toward him and stopped. Wanting a ride real bad, Ah Beng jumped in the car and closed the door - only then did he realized that there was nobody in the driver's seat.

Again the car crept slowly forward and the Ah Beng was terrified, too scared to think of jumping out and running. He saw that the car was approaching a sharp curve and still too scared to jump out, so he started to pray and began begging for his life. He was sure the ghost car would go off the road and into the monsoon drain and he would drown!

But just before the curve, a shadowy figure appeared at the driver's window and a hand reached in and turned the steering wheel, guiding the car safely around the bend. Then, just as silently, the hand disappeared through the window and the hitchhiker was alone again! Paralyzed with fear, Ah Beng watched the hand reappear every time they reached a curve.

Finally Ah Beng, who was scared to near death, had all he could take and jumped out of the car and ran and ran into the nearby 7-Eleven. Wet and in shock, his voice was quavering - he bought a cup of hot coffee and told the customers and sale girl about his supernatural experience.

After hearing his story, everyone was silent and got goose bumps when all of them realized Ah Beng was telling the truth (and was not just some drunk).

About half an hour later two men walked in and one said to the other, "Wah liao, who's that idiot that jumped into our car when we were pushing it in the rain?"

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Celebrate all Mothers in style! this May

Celebrate the woman in our life this May

the woman we call ...

Mother

I miss you

Today, you would have been 64 years old. ooohhhhhh how i wished i had been able to celebrate all of your birthdays..in your 40's and even your golden age of 50...and buy you a cake, even if it was just a small cupcake with one candle...and singing you 'happy birthday to you, happy birthday to you, happy birthday to mama...happy birthday to you' ...and you would blow the candle...fhuuuhhhh

Sometimes...maybe all the times, when the thought of you came flashing through my mind, i will always let my mind dream away of how we could have that mother-daughter get-together, doing things that i envy seeing other ladies or women have with their mothers...going shopping, arguing, giggling, laughing, picnicing and many more...like how i am missing the moments of you teaching and guiding me all the things that mothers would usually do, to have you listen to my woes and frustrations as i grew up, to love me, to confide in you whenever i need you...and most of all, craving for a mother's love i never knew...how i long for your presence in my life...it's hard for me to express!

I never get to know your smile, laughter, favorite food, your style of cooking, colours, hobbies, how you would dressed up or even your tantrums and principles of life...

If only i could let you know that your three little babies have grown up...all of us have our own families..you have a son and two daughters in-laws...and you have four grandchildren! You first grandchild is Kimchi...my one and only princess. If you were here, i am sure you would be a doting grandma...protecting your grandchildren from their parents...buying them gifts, going holidays with them, pamper them with all your love, care and hugs....but they never get to have or feel that...to know who you are or how life would have been with you around us.

But no matter how i felt or keep on yearning for you...you will never come back and i know you are in a peaceful place. Allah The Most Beneficient knows best... when you left us to 'defend for ourselves' thirty-eight years ago on 20th January 1970. A date i will always remember...

A song by Adibah Noor - 'Kau Yang Teristemewa' will always bring tears to my eyes...at times breaking down silently...listening to this part of the lyrics '..tak tertanggung rasa rindu mendengar suara mu...' You will always be in my heart..in my memory...Happy Birthday Mama...i will always miss you.

Al-Fatehah...Amin.