Ica's Tales of Mommyhood

Bila hati sudah terpikat.....

2012-01-31T22:21:00.005+08:00

Hi folks, yes I know its been a while since my last update. If only this blog could speak, it'll definitely say that I am not as rajin memblogging as I used to.

Just wanna share my latest interest actually. I love books but I have been a bit shy of reading Malay novels. Now when I say shy...bukan malu tapi malas. Each and everytime I went to the bookstores, I would end up with English novels. But somehow things changed. I have fallen for Malay stories lately that I just simply can't get enough of it. After reading one book, I am excited to read another...and another and another... You get the picture, right.

So for the past week alone, I have completed reading the books above. I am not sure why but I tend to go for Alaf21's novels as compared to other publishers. But I know that in future I will open up to other new authors as well cause a good story is such a delight thing to read no matter how busy you are.

Reading to me is a must. It helps to keep me insane....away from all my daily stresses and worries. That is the best part.

So folks, let's support our local writers by buying their books and reading their stories. There are lots of good books out there and I for one....am hooked.

PS: And as for Areila Sahimi with her novel paling laris "Yes Boss" tu...she and I work in the same office. Small world kan....

Why 2011 was a fantastic year....

2012-01-03T06:00:00.000+08:00

As we welcome 2012 with a big HELLO and say our goodbyes to the great memories of 2011, I try to reflect on the things that happened in 2011 that makes it such a great year for me. Yes, there are the sad, the bad and the things that caused many headaches during 2011 but all in all I survived it. Syukur Alhamdulillah.....

Here are top 5 reasons why 2011 was a great year for me.....

5. My work challenges me = If I am being honest with myself, I would say that I am not a big fan of what I do at work but it challenges me. Pushing me to the limit that I don't think I am capable of doing but I did it. I pulled through and for that I am grateful.

4. My circle of friends = I am lucky to have such great friends who I can rely on. Far or near it doesn't matter, when I need them, they are there for me. And for that I am thankful. Friends, you know who you are....much love from me as always.

3. My family my life = I cannot say how many times when I am in an undesired situation, my family will always be there for help. Always....

2. The arrival of Azra completes the family = she is the littlest, the baby, the youngest. The one that screams the loudest and the one that likes to clings to me like glue. When she arrived on 24 January 2011, my world changed. I am a mother of 3 angels and they completes me. I pray that I will be a good mother to Azra (and her sisters, of course....) and may their future be bright and shiny. InsyaAllah.

1. Everything is because of HIM. What more to elaborate. My 2011 is as it is because of HIM. Thank you Allah.

Being with my love ones..........

2012-01-02T06:00:00.000+08:00

How do you celebrate your new year? We did it by spending time with our love ones.... The best plan ever was to balik kampung during this new year weekend to spend time with those who matters.

My darling with her new hair cut....

My silly girl yang taknak mandi....

My precious all set and ready for breakfast....

When will we have the chance to balik kampung again?? Not sure but the girls really love every minute of it. That's for sure!

Happy New Year, Happy New Year, Happy New Year.

Happy New Year 2012......

2012-01-01T13:07:00.003+08:00

Dearest friends dan family,

Wishing you a very Happy New Year. May 2012 brings us lots of good wonderful memories and adventures. May it be a good year for us all.

Best wishes from Ujang, Ica, Auni, Aila and Azra....

Mel's July Wedding @ The Royale Chulan

2011-11-02T17:30:00.000+08:00

A photo entry of my cousin's Melissa & hubby Kurt's wedding last July. Such a beautiful wedding at The Royale Chulan and all of us are so happy for the newlywed couple.

To the world, you may be one person, but to one person you may be the world - John Lennon.

The happy couple....all smiles....& in love of course.

Our table...Mawar. Lovely heart-shape chocolate for each guest and lots of paper origamis made with love by Kurt's family members all the way from the States and Japan.

My family at our table....and my parents and cousins posing for the camera.

Group photos of Hussain clan...and there were lots of them that night.

PS: Semoga jodoh berkekalan sehingga anak cucu....

Restoran Salero Negori

2011-11-01T06:00:00.000+08:00

I love nasi padang and recently we had lunch at Restoran Salero Negori which offers delicious nasi padang & of course...negori style of cooking. Simply sedap! We passed the opportunity to try this restaurant at Amcorp Mall few months ago but this time around Ujang suddenly had cravings for nasi padang. So we went to the one at Persiaran Gurney, KL instead. Ujang and his officemates had lunch there recently so he was pretty happy to go there again...and again. And I too am happy to follow....

We had ikan keli + pucuk ubi, ayam goreng, sup for the girls, tempe...(got to have some tempe..) plus a little bit of this and that. To complete the meal, we ordered lychee drinks...which was perfect for the warm weather outside. The girls makan sehingga licin pinggan. Bonus points goes to the restaurant....

I love this place because of the food. It was really good. If you are keen to try authentic cuisine from Padang and Negeri Sembilan, you need to try this place or any one of its locations. Food - delicious. Deco - ultra cool. What's not to like.

A must try, indeed.

Branches:

Taman Tun Dr Ismail: No 42 & 42A, Lorong Rahim Kajai 14, 60000 Taman Tun Dr Ismail, Tel:03 77108696

Kelana Jaya: No 50B-1, Kelana Mall, Jalan SS6/14, Kelana Jaya, Petaling Jaya,47301, Selangor, Tel:03 78047868

Amcorp Mall: 247, 249, 251 & 253, Level 2, Amcorp Mall, 18 Persiaran Barat, off Jalan Timur, 46050, Petaling Jaya, Selangor, Tel:03 79566968

Subang Jaya: No 139, Jalan SS15/5A, 47500 Subang Jaya, Selangor, Tel:03 56325868

Kg Tunku : 54F Jalan SS1/22 Kg Tunku, 47300 Petaling Jaya, Selangor. Tel :03 78735868

9 months old and counting....

2011-10-31T06:00:00.000+08:00

How fast time flies. My favourite word of the day. Little Azra turns 9 months old just a few days ago. She is a delight. Such a sweet...sweet child unless when she cries. Or when she screams. Yikes...masa tu macam boleh gegar satu rumah dibuatnya.

As she turns 9 months old now...some of the important milestones in a child's development are as follows:

1. She can get into a sitting position without assistance. See...seee....Type of Milestone - Physical

2. She uses pincer grasp...Type of Milestone - Physical. Well not as demonstrated though. Here she is trying to grab the book big sis Auni left on the floor.

3. She pays increasing attention to speech. Type of Milestone - Language Skills.

4. She responds to simple verbal requests. Type of Milestone - Cognitive.

5. She explores objects in many different ways. Type of Milestone - Cognitive.
6. She crawls forward on belly. Type of Milestone - Physical.

There are other things that she is now able to do...but wait till I can snap some photos of them. Like any mothers out there, I pray that Azra will grow up to be anak yang solehah & sentiasa dilindungi Allah SWT. Amin.

Love you Azra.....

From one hotel to another.....

2011-10-28T06:00:00.000+08:00

I have been away for quite a bit these past few months....sad but true. Each time I had to be away from the girls....my heart breaks and I dragged my feet each time I had to go. Saying comforting words each time helps but few that know me would often hear me say how much I miss my girls when I am away. It still does not get any easier each time. That is a challenge that I have to face, I suppose. My heart goes out to my girls actually, cause they didn't ask for this. They too had to accept it just like I had to. Same goes for Ujang too....

My recent back to back trips took me to different locations for a series of workshops that my team and I had to organized. Glad that the series of workshops are over and done with, although they will be more to come next year too. But now, in the office...the real work begins. The hard work of putting all the things that were taught during the workshops into order and finalizing for the top gun's review and approval. Hard stuff when you have a demanding stakeholder....and I say that in a good way cause having a demanding stakeholder means that you and your team will need to buck up to deliver what the top guns wanted, right.

First up, we went to Avillion Admiral Cove, Port Dickson. Overall, I like the place. I had a good learning experience dealing with their sales team in KL and also working with their coordinator at the hotel site. My thanks to En. Rafie, En. Azard and Cik Hasnita for the smooth working experience. Given the chance, I would love to go there for a holiday instead of work...hahaha.

The following week, a few days in Premiere Hotel, Klang Selangor. I really love this place. This is the second time I had to attend an event at this hotel. It is a brand new hotel in Klang...I think they celebrated their 1 year anniversary this month, if I am not mistaken. Love dealing with the sales coordinator Titie Azman as she is such a cool person to work with. Will share more about this experience in my future entry..insyaAllah.

After a week break from the last workshop, I had to go off to another one in Mahkota Hotel, Melaka. Ok, what can I say about this hotel....food nice. Service....there's room for improvement. A few technical difficulties especially inside the ballroom where we organized the last workshop, had my team and I running here and there finding solutions. There was even a blackout during one of the sessions...yikes.

I am now in the process of planning for next year's event...and since it'll be held early next year...there work begins now. Which hotels will it be next?? It must be able to cater to large groups, good food and service is a must! Well, it is a must because there are so many people to please....nak buat macam mana kan.

Hemmm...any suggestions......?

I gave all my money to the Wolf

2011-10-27T06:00:00.000+08:00

The BIG BAD WOLF Book Fair 2011 ended recently...and I must say, I gave loads of my money to Mr Wolf during the book fair. Much damage was done to my wallet after going to the book fair 2 days in a row. Had to I suppose, because after that weekend, I was off to another outstation trips....so I know I can't spare much time at the book fair eventhough my heart really want to go there again..and again..and again.

Who wouldn't when you can get books for as low as RM8.00 each and you have from 1.5 million books to select. Imagine....this huge hall full of books galore at Malaysia Agro Exposition Park or MAEPS in Serdang and it is just nearby my house pulak tu. A book lovers dream come true. The girls are loving it as well because now they have more books to read...in their mini library.

Get this.....the BBW is having an aftermath sale on 24-28 November 2011 at South City Plaza Seri Kembangan the same venue as their last year's book sale. All books are on sale for as low as RM5.00 or less and everything must go. The books are probably leftovers from the recent sale but who knows...you might be able to find something you like there too. So I am going...all set. Hope there won't be another surprise outstation work that weekend or else, I'll be crushed...huhuhu.

To checkout more info about this sale, be a fan of BBW in facebook or log in to their website by clicking HERE.

PS: All pictures taken that day are of Auni and her big smiley smile because she followed me around and around the big hall that day.

KL Bird Park at Lake Gardens

2011-10-26T13:59:00.009+08:00

Finally, after several outstation trips in past few months and never ending work obligations....I seriously been hit with a massive "Mommy Guilt Mode"! To make up for it...(well at least a partial of it coz this mommy guilt syndrome will never go away, I reckon)...Ujang and I took the girls for an all day outing to Lake Gardens.

We headed early and aim to spend and do as much as possible during that day. Lake Gardens seems to be a good choice because there are loads of things that we as a family can do...Plus, it'll be a different kind of adventure for the kids apart from the normal outings to the mall. Dah boring eh....

KL Bird Park was Aila's choice. She wanted to go there pretty badly. Keep screaming "Mommy, I want to see birds. I want to see birds" all morning. So to the Bird Park we go.

Mind you, never trust a 3 year old who claimed to love birds so much and insisting on seeing birds all day. BECAUSE dear Aila cried almost half of the time during our outing at the Bird Park. BECAUSE she was scared of the birds! BECAUSE she didn't know the birds could walk up to her and follow her on the walkway! BECAUSE she thought that all birds will be inside their cage just like the ones at the zoo! and BECAUSE she keep saying "why the birds are following me"....huhuhu....Figures...

I personally like the place because it offers a different experience for the girls rather than seeing the animals at the zoo. In the Bird Park, the birds are let free in the aviary. Hence the name...the world's largest walk-in free flight aviary in the world. Pretty cool, kan.. to have this smack at the heart of KL.

The location was pretty easy to find. The entrance is RM20 for adult and RM10 for children below 12 years old. Click HERE if you want to know more about KL Bird Park.

Si bangau yang suka follow Aila everywhere...

We will probably go there again someday...perhaps when Azra is a little older and she can then appreciate and enjoy the place as well. Hope that she won't be scared of birds like her big sis Aila...that is.

PS: This mommy took lots of pictures at the Bird Park but most of it turn out corrupted...something is wrong with her camera. Is that a sign for her to get a new one???...hehehe.

A photo entry.......

2011-10-23T17:59:00.005+08:00

My screaming baby...

and her smiley sisters...

PS: Lots of stories to tell and its been ages from my last update...but one of these days I will and shall update accordingly.

Till then....take care.

Wordless Wednesday: My sleeping angel......

2011-09-28T18:08:00.005+08:00

Azra, my sweet.How I love you so.....

A weekend escapes @ The Legend Water Chalets, Port Dickson

2011-08-24T07:50:00.000+08:00

It is normal for Ujang’s company to held meetings or workshops during the weekend which is so unlike my place whereby workshops are normally during weekdays. Lucky him….because when it is held on the weekend means that you do not have to be away from your family during your working days. The last workshop that he had to attend was in Port Dickson. Of course, all the clan follows……

The Legend Water Chalets or it is now called Lexis Port Dickson, is near Lukut town and roughly about 1 hour drive from KL via North-South Expressway. I drove there with the girls as Ujang had to be there much earlier. On Saturday morning the girls and I headed to PD. It was a smooth drive….and quite easy to find the location.

Our room was at the Tower Seaview because initially I didn’t plan to join. Had I known that the place would be a nice place to stay, I would have jumped at the moment he asked me to go. His other colleagues stayed in the Water Chalets instead because they planned earlier on to bring their family along. But the room that we got is huge and very spacious with indoor Jacuzzi lagi…and a great view.

It was just what I needed. A weekend escapes. Enjoy the pictures…..

PS: A few more days till Raya....yeahooo........

When every drop counts..........

2011-08-19T13:45:00.004+08:00

I am frustrated and in a big trouble. My effort to fully breastfeed Azra is now affected because as of yesterday, I only have 1 bottle of stock left in the fridge!! Ayoyo….. Prestasi terjejas dengan teruk sekali….. Previously I used to keep my ebm stocks in a deep freezer….then today I am left with only 3 bottles of ebm left. Gone were the days where I can see my effort and hard work each time I open the deep freezer. Hai laaa lepas ni jual icecream le jawabnya…..freezer kan dah kosong.

What is happening to me? Actually the main culprit is easy to identify….STRESS! I am so stressed out. And everybody knows that stress is not helping if you want to fully breastfeed. It hinders with the production in a big way. Though Azra and I have passed our 6 months mark, the stocks dwindle downhill from there on…..in fact, faster than you can say Hello. Helloooo……!!!!!!!!!!

I am not giving up yet. I have to quadruple my effort and determination. For the sake of Azra, I’ll do it especially since she refuses to drink formula. Kesian, my baby…..huhuhu.

"Ya Allah, permudahkanlah segala urusan kehidupanku, banyakkanlah susuku untuk bayiku, dan permudahkanlah perjalananku untuk menyusukan anakku agar menuruti segala yang telah Engkau syariatkan.."

PS: Any takers for my deep freezer?? Let me know...

When you got to do what you got to do………..

2011-08-17T13:00:00.003+08:00

Tomorrow marked the 4th month I return to work. When you keep counting the days after returning to work…….is that a good indication or a bad one? I reckon it’s bad….. Clearly I am still adjusting and not truly integrated to the job, office culture and work environment as yet. It takes time for one to fully adjust, right. But some people adapt faster than others. I guess I am not that fast enough. Too long as a SAHM, I guess.

Now, let me ask you this. How many people can say that they truly love what they do in the office every day? How many would say that their job is the best and they are very passionate about it. Please raise your hands…..

If you are not raising your hands….eeerrr like yours truly then how to love your job? That is the question. If I consider myself as a newbie perhaps it is too early for me to say that I love what I do. Because right now, when asked about it, my feedback would be…..Arghhhh!!!!!!!!…..Boleh tak cakap macam tu.

So here are some tips that I like from this blog – to motivate me. Hope it’ll motivate you too….

12 tips to enjoy your current job.

1. Get motivated to face the day. (think positive, positive, positive)
2. Keep your work in perspective. (look beyond your work and consider the bigger picture. This is all for my girls…I must say.)
3. You are more than your work
4. Plan your time and create a to-do list (prioritize, prioritize)
5. Concentrate on the task at hand (stay in the moment, do not be distracted by worrying about other things)
6. Be clear about what’s expected of you
7. Delegate wherever appropriate (3D rule – do it, dump it or delegate it)
8. Have regular breaks
9. Learn to relax
10. Make your workplace more pleasant (minimize your time with people that you do not resonate with or like & learn to have more fun at work)
11. Review your day before you leave for home
12. Switch off once you leave work (mentally say goodbye to your work space the moment you leave for home)

"Stop acting the victim. YOU are responsible for your life and if you can’t immediately change the job you are in, then it is up to you to make the most of it. See your work as a game. Life is meant to be fun and if you are going to spend a third of it at work, you might as well enjoy the game.”

Well folks.....now do back to work....hehehe. Take care.

Source: here

TH Family Day @ Felda Residence Hot Springs Sungai Klah

2011-08-16T18:00:00.001+08:00

I don’t know about you but I seem to have a lot of backdated stories to tell. In my head, ada banyak cerita but unfortunately time is not with me at this moment. Normal excuses…busy..busy…busy… But then again, other mothers are busy too but they can update their blog…why can’t I? Malas le tuu……senang ja cerita. Ok, this is another backdated story. I really had a good time there although initially I resisted. I don’t really want to follow because throughout June – July, both Ujang and I were often away from home due to kursus sana sini… So when he told me that his company is organizing a family day in Sungkai Perak, initially my responds was….Arghhhh….do I have to go!!!

“A splashing and exciting getaway, the FELDA Residence Hot Springs Park is nestled in the serene and lush forest patches, surrounded by hills and clear cold mountain streams and rivers. All 6.5 hectares enjoy the scenic view of well-tended oil palm plantation and durian orchard amidst a haven of tranquility. Its unique concept of a specially designed free flowing Hot Springs Swimming Pool and Therapeutic Park at the foothill of the Titiwangsa Range 200 feet above sea level is indeed creatively engineered to attract visitors who appreciate the wonders of nature.” Click here for more info.

TH Family Day was held at the FELDA Residence Hot Springs in Sungkai Perak. Since Ujang is one of the MCs in charged for the night’s event, of course we had to go lah. We headed there on Saturday morning and arrived around noon. Sungkai is about 2 hours drive from KL but the fact that it rained that day, makes the journey longer. The family day activities were kind of free and easy especially since it is only for an overnight trip. The aim is to enjoy ourselves and yes, I think we did.

The event kicked off with some games for the participants that evening. Both Auni and Aila participated in the games too. Aila masuk pertandingan “kutip gula-gula”. Mind you, this is the first time she joined such games/event and sadly her social skills is really out! When she hears the whistle to start, instead of picking up as many candies as she can….she turn around to her daddy and nearly to tears. When other kids are fighting to grab the candies, she only picked a few. Aila sad…she said…. I think she assumed that other kids would wait in line and kutip gula-gula tu properly and not rebut sana sini…Miss Proper la katakan.

The night’s dinner was the highlight of the day. I have to say, all the MCs did a good job that night. I met so many people too, all warm and friendly. I have to say I am a bit jealous of Ujang’s group. It is definitely not the same with mine back in the office….perhaps because we don’t have any events like this. And of course, I can’t compare IT folks with lawyers, can I.

Though the girls didn’t win anything that night, they did have a great time. That’s what matters especially when the next day….the event ended with makan-makan a whole load of durian….of course the girls were happy. The love durians just like their daddy!

Auni & her progress at school......

2011-08-15T22:00:00.000+08:00

This story is long overdue.

Last month I attended Auni’s parent-teacher meeting at her school. This is the 2nd meeting for this year. Compared to the 1st meeting, this second parent-teacher meeting with her teacher went very well. As normal, her teacher stated that my dearest is very quiet and shy in class. I know that already….but for the record, she is very LOUD at home!

As for her reading progress, I am surprise upon hearing her progress now. It seems that all this while when her mommy is struggling to adjust to her working life and all the drama that came along with it, Auni is showing great progress at school in terms of her reading especially for BM and Iqra’.

I must admit, credit goes to her teachers…..because although I do sit down with her after work to monitor her reading but alias, it does not happen as often as I would like it to be. This mommy is not good at the balancing act, remember…..

Syukur we selected a good school for Auni. At least she is able to get the basic foundation from her school….which is important because it makes my job to monitor her reading easier. My biggest joy is knowing that she enjoys going to school daily.....because all these while she never refuses to go to school….not even once.

Which is soooo the opposite of her little sister Aila! If you ask Aila whether she wants to go to school….her immediate responds would be….NO WAY! Heemmmmm……mencabar sungguh anak bertuah tu.....

As she turns 6 months old.........

2011-07-25T21:36:00.004+08:00

On the night Azra turns 6 months old, both of us were lying in bed together. Alone...just the two of us enjoying our quiet time together without the distraction from her dear sisters. I truly enjoy the special moment shared with my little darling and I hope that she feels the same way too. Our special moment each & every night...our little connection.

That night as I look into her eyes, I whispered softly to her ears the words...
"SORRY.....Sorry because mommy couldn't spend more time with you as much as mommy wants too. Sorry because when your sisters were 6 months old, mommy took care of them fully because back then, I had the luxury of putting my career on hold. A pause for a while to concentrate on my babies. Unfortunately this time around, putting a PAUSE now is not an option that I can take. Sorry because mommy had to be away from you & your sisters from time to time though my brain and my heart resist it each time I had to go away. Sorry, sorry, sorry....."

As you turn 6 months old, I pray that your future will be bright & you will be blessed with all the good things in life. You are truly a good baby....very mellow and easy, so full of smiles. I am amaze each time when you respond to me with you smiley face and dimpled cheeks and your bright eyes sparkles...... It melts my heart each time.

I love you girl, with all my heart.

Friday Favourites : From a friend who cares.....

2011-07-22T19:42:00.007+08:00

People say sharing is caring....and for this case it is certainly true. I received the words of wisdom below from a blogger friend - the lovely Lina. When I first read it, it clicks. The meaning of it resonates. It makes me see things in a different perspective & reflects...

The words goes like this....

I asked for wisdom but Allah give me problems to solve
I asked for prosperity, but Allah gave me brain and brawn to work
I asked for courage, but Allah gave me danger to overcome
I asked for love but Allah gave me trouble people to help
I asked for favours but Allah gave me opportunities
I receive nothing I wanted
I receive everything I NEEDED.

Sesungguhnya Allah Maha Mengetahui............

PS: thank you for being you...Lina.

One workshop after another......when will it be over?

2011-07-21T21:01:00.003+08:00

The view from my hotel room................not much of a view but glad that the hotel was good this time around.

Hi folks...this is strictly ramblings.

I just came back from my last workshop/bengkel and my last trip away from the girls for this month. Boy am I glad that it is over. Over. Finish. Tamat sudah until the next one. Ok, so I admit it...it sucks to be away from the family. It is super hard when I am constantly worring about them and missing them dearly. It is the price that I have to pay right now....but my brain is really struggling with reality and the fact that I have to be away from home again in the future...which in my case the next one will be in September. Tu pun sebab August is a fasting month, kalau tak sure ada.

To be honest, June and July is all about outstation trips, workshops and events away from home....and it is not just myself but Ujang as well. But with the blessing from Allah, we are fortunate that both of us didn't have to be away from home AT THE SAME TIME! If that ought to happen, then I don't even want to think of what will it be for the girls. Tak nak fikir ke arah tuu.....eeee...tak nak. Tidakkkkkkk.

Tonight, I am counting my blessing that I am at home with my girls again. I can see them, hug them, kiss them and of course...hear them arguing with each other again. The sights and sounds of a choatic household....this is what I want. This is what I look forward to when I am away from home....rather than being stuck in one hotel after another.

Glad to be home. Glad to be with the girls again. Glad that I can de-stress for tonight...until I face the challenges of tomorrow. May the force be with me....Ica boleh!!!

Till next time...take care folks.

PS: Salam silaturahmi to all my friends out there.....

A job is never just a job

2011-06-27T17:13:00.005+08:00

“A job is never just a job. There are no final destinations. Your career is a process of continuous development. Moves of all kinds entails significant internal and external challenges and transaction costs: upheaval in your home and social life, potential relocation expenses, adjustments to new cultural and political norms, navigation of unclear expectations and the need to learn a new canon, skill set and jargon. There are times when you have no choice but to accept a less-than-perfect fit for financial reasons.” Source from Harvard Business Review.

The saying above perfectly describe what I am experiencing after returning back to work. Due to economic reasons sometimes you just have to accept a less-than-perfect fit for financial reasons. I do not know whether my girls will have the luxury of having scholarships to further their studies in the future…..plus the need for emergency funds and providing for a better future for the girls….means that mommy has to work and work nonetheless. Though the desire to be a SAHM again is great but it is not the option that I can take right now.

Having said that, let’s look back at the phrase “a job is never just a job”. Since starting work again, I have been placed in a department that is out of my element. Out of my comfort zone because with no background and experience in finance, I am now in FINANCE! Thus, the job is never just a job because I have to start back from ABC….or 123.

A job is never just a job because I do not just sit in the office from 8-5. For example, last week I was away for a short course in Melaka. Being away from the girls was hard and it disrupted my daily routine with my family. But you just got to do what you got to do. It was even harder because I had to stay at a hotel that provided such lousy services that I keep counting the days till the event was over. When I requested for the front desk to help store my EBM using the hotel’s kitchen freezer, they didn't follow the simple instruction at all. In the end, I had to search around for a shop that sells ice cubes in order to safely store and transport the EBMs for the trip back home.

Next trip....to another southern state. If only I can go there for a vacation instead of work, wouldn’t it be nice! I wish……….

PS: My mood? Not so good today.....cause my partner in crime is away. Rindu. Don't know why each time he had to be away on offsite course, he'll always get the better location than mine. Geram pun ada....

Aila turns 3 years old......

2011-06-18T21:28:00.003+08:00

A few days ago, my darling Aila turns 3. Dah big girl dah....Happy Birthday, my sweet. Semoga besar nanti jadi anak yang solehah, insyaAllah. You are a delight my girl. I love you....love you...love you.

I live for the weekends.........

2011-06-12T21:10:00.004+08:00

Photo: Google laaa

I don't know about you.....but I live for the weekends. Seriously, the moment I got back to this so-call working life, I truly live for the weekends. Maybe it is because I still long for my old life as a SAHM. Ohhh how I miss it so....huhuhu.....

Am I the only one like this?

The moment I got back from work late Friday, my brain felt so free...no worries and of course, no lingering pressure or stress that constantly bogged down on my shoulder from Monday to Friday.

Saturday and Sunday are the days I look forward to most. I can catch up on my sleep, catch up on some reading, be in my kitchen for more than 10 minutes or the fact that I can just breathe. Most importantly, I can spend time with the girls....which I can't really do so during the weekdays.

But ever notice that weekends are always short. The days went by so fast especially when you packed everything under the sun to accomplish over the weekend....and let's face it, it is only 2 days....and only so much that you can do over the 2 day period. Gooosh, as I am writing this the clock is ticking away minute by minute to greet the next day. Monday.....arghhhhh....

Perhaps I am the only one struggling with this so-call working life. Maybe because I just had such a blast being a SAHM that I am still resisting my FTWM status now. I don't know..... hopefully this coming week will be a good one for me.

Till the weekend comes again...... I wish to all.....a good week ahead. Semoga segala urusan kita akan dipermudahkan oleh Yang Maha Esa. Amin.

My Sweetie Pie

2011-06-11T21:49:00.003+08:00

My darling is 4 months + now and I finally got the chance to snap some photos of her today. I know..I know...bad mommy!! Should have done it sooner or at least on a regular basis kan...but I hardly even touch my camera these days...so it's been a while since her last picture....

Well, I have to confest...the main reason for this blog's existance is to journal the girls' progress and all the itsy-bitsy bits of their growing up days. But have not been doing a good job on that either. So since I have some time tonight.....here's some update on my darling sweetie pie....

Azra is such a delight. She is a darling. No fuss baby.....well if you exclude the fact that she likes to be carry around a lot...a habbit I know...but I can't help it. I miss my baby especially when I don't see her until at night. So lots of hugs and kisses from mommy - a must! If she likes me to carry her around....then that's ok too. Anything for my darling.

She is progressing well. She loves to smile a lot....saja nak tayang her dimple cheeks. She loves to practise turning now but can't really turn back which sometimes makes her frustrated when her attempt to turn back failed.

What I love most is the fact that she is growing and responding as a 4 months old should be. Very alert, this girl. I owe it all to the wholesome goodness of breastmilk and by the grace of Allah, of course. InsyaAllah, I am determine to give her the very best.....and I suppose, that's all I can do as her mother. To try my level best to give her the best............

Azra my love, may you grow up to be the best that you can be and know in your heart that I love you so very much. My princess, my precious, my sweetie pie.

PS: This mommy would like to say "APA KHABAR ORANG DI SANA" to all her friends out there..... miss you much!

Happy Mother's Day

2011-05-08T19:26:00.002+08:00

It took me ages to log into this blog again.....and the long absence from me clearly indicated that I am not so good with juggling between work and family. Life is a mess right now and I pray that it'll get better soon.

But on the bright side, I am lucky to be able to spend Mother's Day today with my girls and my mother - all very important people in my life. Bless to have them with me on this special day.

I am taking this opportunity to wish all mothers out there a wonderful Mother's Day. The crazy things we do as mothers...juggling 10 thousand things at a time is really mind boggling but I am always amaze at how mothers out there make it seems so effortlessly. Kudos to you for doing the things that you do for your family. May Allah guide us to be the best that we can be for our love ones. InsyaAllah.

PS: This mommy really miss blogging, bloghopping and wishing that she can be a SAHM again (which is unlikely to happen anytime soon:(

Because to her, being a SAHM is the best job ever!

Guilt, please go away.....

2011-04-13T14:47:00.003+08:00

Technically, I am not a working mom yet until Friday. But this so called "mother's guilt feeling" is already becoming my best friend. It stays with me in my head all day and night since I got the offer letter. It leaps even higher since I started sending the little ones to nursery.

I felt like this back when Auni was 1 year over after I completed my studies and went back to work. I felt the same after my maternity leave with Aila too. Now I am feeling it again...and again...and again. Goooshhh, will the guilt ever go away? Frankly, I don't think so. But as many mothers out there, you just gotta do what you gotta do.

The emotional tug-of-war that mothers would feel when returning to work, be it after your maternity leave or choosing to work again, is very normal. It'll get better in time eventually. I pray and I hope.

So this short ramblings is more of a remainder to myself. If millions of mothers out there can do it, why can't I. I can. I can. I can. Ica boleh!! You can do it. Yes you can. Wooohoooo! Go ica go.

Ni saja nak kuatkan semangat diri sendiri sebenarnya....hehehe.

PS: Happy Wednesday folks....

My status will change and I am freaking out!!!

2011-04-12T12:31:00.003+08:00

My world is going to change and it will be very soon. These past few days has been chaotic to say the least. Late last Friday I got the news that I am to report to duty for a job that I applied many many moons ago. And get this, the report for duty day is this FRIDAY!!! Imagine the stress overload my poor brain had to endure upon hearing the news. It was such a surprise and very unexpected.

In a nutshell, aeons ago I applied for a ONE and ONLY position with SPA. Yup, it a goverment post. Kerja gomen lah ni.... But that was long ago. On 11 April 2010, I wrote an entry about the exam that I took. Somewhere in July 2010 I had to attend the training at Intura in Sg Petani. Somewhere from July to November was the interview process, of course I don't remember it all now. And lastly in November, the results came out but I am only on the reserved list. So ok...case closed. Then we moved to KL and had a baby, so I basically didn't think that I would get it. The one and only job that I applied since resigning from an MNC up north in 2008. Lama dah tuuuu....

But ini yang dinamakan rezeki Allah. So when I went to collect the offer letter yesterday, my hands were shaking. My brain keep thinking about what in the world will happen to my babies. Where do I put them when I have to go to work this Friday? What is Aila's going to react going to the nursery for the first time? What about little Azra? Will she be ok? Will they be able to take good care of her while I am away? Now, what about Auni and all the reading bits that I have planned out to do together after school? What about all the fun things we do in the afternoons? huhuhu... so many things going on at once in my head. I am clearly freaking out.

Well as I am sitting here typing these words, I am missing my girls. Today is Aila and Azra's first day at the nursery. When you are so used to be with them 24x7, the silence in the house now evoke a mixed feelings in me. I don't know what it'll be like come Friday when I have to make that early morning mad rush to the office for the first time...huhuhu....

So folks, my status will change from SAHM to FTWM soon. I need luck, strength, determination, motivation and courage to get me through this. Its a big step. A big challenge. Of course I need Allah to guide and protect my love ones while I am away. Mommy dah kena masuk kerja. Tak boleh nak tunda tunda lagi...

Girls, if only you knew how my heart breaks each time I kiss you goodbye.....because I love you soooo

Friday Favourites : The picture says it all.....

2011-04-08T10:02:00.004+08:00

I was going through some of the old photos that I have and came upon this one. This is Aila of course and it is one of my favourites. The picture captures Aila's personality clearly - loud, mischievous, bossy, constant performer, miss-not-so independent but wanna be independent!

She'll be 3 years old soon. She still has her 'terrible twos' meltdowns and drama especially towards her daddy, which drives him nuts! hehehehe..... Emmm...come to think of it, she acts better when she's with me though. But then the girls are all daddy's girls. Manja betoi with their father....

What I love most right now is listening to her talk. She's a talker, this one. Sometimes you can tell that she wants to say lots of things all at once. But her brain is much faster than her mouth. You can see that she wants to say big words but it just didn't come out right....or come out fast enough. So a lot of "eerrmmm...uuummm....huuummm....errmmm" until she gives up and say "I can't remember, mommy". Hehehehe....silly.

So Aila girl, our next mission is for you to potty train. Let's say our prayers on this Friday because we need all the help we can get. Potty train....here we gooooo. Argghhhhh......(Potty train is mommy's least favourite thing huhuhu)

PS: Happy Friday folks. Have a great weekend ahead with your love ones....

Things I miss most about my hometown....

2011-04-07T10:50:00.001+08:00

This is strictly ramblings, folks. I'm in a nostalgic mood.....

I miss my hometown dearly. It has been 5 months since we moved here and we've only made an overnight trip back to our hometown late November 2010. I reckon we probably be going back there again for Hari Raya...but that's months away...huhuhu.

I consider a few places up north as my hometown and I miss them all. Kulim, Alor Setar, Sg Petani and Penang Island are the places that I love and rindu sangat nak balik ke sana.

Here's some of the things that I miss most........

1. The yummy soft doughnuts on the roadside stall in Taman Dahlia, Sg Petani. This is where my brother in law lives and we often would stop by at this makcik's stall to buy at least a dozen doughnuts and masalodeh for us to eat. Everytime without fail......though Ujang always complain "makcik tu tak pernah nak senyum pun." Of course she hardly smile..she's too busy making all the delicious doughnuts and masalodeh!

2. Driving on the Penang bridge heading towards the island. I often get warm and fuzzy feeling when driving towards the island especially when I am midway on the bridge and I can see the view of the island infront of me. When you drive, on the left you can see Queensbay Mall, Penang FIZ and Pulau Jerjak. While on the right, Georgetown. Up ahead is USM and Gelugor. Aaarhhhh, bestnya....

3. The ease of finding things at Kulim's market. Maybe because we're new here in Bangi and although I can easily find most things here as well but somehow it is just not the same. I miss the market in Kulim. Pasar malam ke... pasar besar ke... semua rindu, boleh tak macam tu?. I used to buy fish from this Chinese guy who talks & move around so fast that you end up buying more than you should. Belum sempat nak cakap apa-apa pun dia dah pack siap dah half kilo of this, sekati of that...express betoi.

4. Ujang rindukan petai. I know he does especially since it's hard to find petai here. I recently went to pasar malam and only found a lady selling it. But the petai were small and not as good looking as the ones we normally get. Back home it is a little bit easier to find petai yang gemuk gemuk gitu... My mom said to me recently "Yelah dulu duduk dekat hutan mesti lah senang nak dapat petai..." Dekat hutan, ma? Sekarang dah tak nampak hutan lagi dah...hehehe....

5. All the delicious nasi kandaq. I can't help but think about food. We don't eat nasi kandar all the time but sometimes when the mood strikes, nasi kandar is a must. It is hard to get nasi kandar in Bangi. Not original enough, I must say. Ooohh how I love to have a plate of sinful nasi kandar now especially from our favourite restaurants like Tajuddin Hussain, Kapitan (their cheese nan is to die for) and my ultimate favourite Nasi Royale in Alor Setar.

6. I miss my old house. In my opinion, renting is just not the same as living in the comfort of your own home. Though we plan to scout around for a new house in the future, I find that I miss my old house more and more. Especially my kitchen. No words can describe how much I miss my old kitchen.....huhuhu. Semoga Kak Nur who is currently living there will be able to take care of the house properly. InsyaAllah.

7. Of course, I miss my FAMILY and FRIENDS. When everyone is close by and you can drop by their house anytime for a visit....sembang-sembang, lepak lepak sambil makan makan...ooooohhh rindunya....that's the thing I miss most too. Kangan bangat.

Do you miss your hometown too? What do you miss most about it?

Getting her to speak up. A mother's dilemma.....

2011-04-04T15:10:00.000+08:00

On Saturday morning, Auni and I went to her school for her 1st parent-teacher meeting to review her 3 months progress at her new school. When arrived, I was very hopeful and excited to hear her teachers' feedback but when I left, I had mixed feelings about what I heard. I guess no mother wants to hear anything bad about their child's progress, right?

The comments were...
a) that Auni is not mixing well with her friends.
b) that its hard to get her to recite back her hafazan (initially her teacher said agak susah then she said susah banyak to get her to recite out loud in front of her class)
c) that when she reads her voice is too soft (or not loud enough)

Of course as her mother, the feedback is all too common. In her previous school, her teachers told me to same thing but she gets better in time. Now in her new school I am hearing it all over again. But this time, the comments just rubbed me in the wrong way. I was somewhat upset maybe because of the way it was said. Or maybe my mood was just off that day. I don't know... But poor Auni had to listen to her mommy's pep talk in the car on her way back home. Kesian dia...

My darling has a mixture of shyness and introvert personality. Shyness has an element of apprehension, nervousness and anxiety. Introvert are more concerned with their inner world of the mind. When you mixed the two together, you get Auni.

Introvert is a legitimate personality type and makes up around 10%-30% of the population. Contrary to what most people think, an introvert is not simply a person who is shy. So if 70% of populations are extraverts, perhaps her teachers' are comparing her to her friends who are extraverts. Perhaps laaa....

To me, she is special and she has her own strengths. Maybe I was upset because I can see her potential at home but to the outsiders they can't see it because of her introvert personality. Once she walked thru the front door, her personality changed.

At the end of the session, I asked on all the things that she is currently learning at school. I plan to work on it with her at home after school. Hopefully in time she will improve on her hafazan. But how do I get her to speak up during reading with her teachers? Or how do I get her to mix well with her friends? I cannot force her to do it. I can't change her to be what she is not. She has to do it own her own because when in school, it is beyond my control. I am hoping that her teachers will know that she needs time to adjust and come out of her shell. All I can do is to give words of encouragement.

Do you have an introverted child? Any suggestions?

To know if you have an introverted child, check out the list below. Auni has at least 14 out of the 20 characteristics listed.

Characteristics universal to introverts are....
1. love to read **
2. have a few close, true friends **
3. are excellent listeners **
4. do not like to contribute in class **
5. give people energy (extroverts take energy) **
6. love to go to their room and close the door
7. may be exhausted by the social interaction required during a typical day at school
8. do not like group work **
9. do not learn by repeathing things out loud **
10. like to connect the dots and insist on turning information in to knowledge
11. are very territorial **
12. like to know about expectations well ahead of time **
13. suffer from feelings of humiliation if they make a mistake in public **
14. are intense **
15. hate small talk
16. prefer to write rather than talk and especially don't like talking on the phone
17. have a private and a public personality **
18. say what they mean **
19. prefer not to say anything unless it is significant
20. need time alone to recharge their batteries **

PS: Auni, mommy loves you no matter what!

Photo courtesy of google.

Friday Favourites : No ordinary bags....

2011-04-01T13:08:00.004+08:00

Folks, I'm not showing you any gorgeous handbags here. Sorry.... The latest bag that I bought was this milk storage bags (though in my heart I wish for a new handbag..huhuhu....but that's another story).

Ok, so the silliest things makes me happy. But I really LOVE these bags. Whoever invented the milk storage bags are super genius. So what if it is not rocket science. This simple plastic bags are a lifesaver for many mothers in their quest to store their EBM for their little ones. I bet many mothers would agree with me.

I used to use bottles to store my EBM for Auni and Aila. The downside is that bottles takes up so much space in the fridge. If you are all out in storing your EBM, chances are you won't be putting anything else in your freezer other than milk bottles.

So thank God for the storage bags. Regardless of which brands you use, in my opinion....these bags are super great & a better option to use.

Simply because....
1. They do not take much space in your freezer.
2. Bags are presterilised so you don't have to wash it before you use it. So its much safer than other ordinary plastic bags or containers. BPA free too.
3. Sealable plastic bags makes it easy for storing.
4. Even better because you can mark the dates and time on the bags.
5. And....they are cheap! Well, cheaper than bottles, that is...

Easy peasy...don't you think so..

PS: Happy Friday folks...and have a wonderful weekend. See ya next time....

Bread making tips for beginners.

2011-03-31T10:30:00.005+08:00

I've fallen in love with the process of bread making ever since I made my first bread, which was a couple of weeks ago. Yes, I am a newbie and I consider myself an alien in the kitchen but there is something about breadmaking that I find exciting. Probably because it is something new. Probably because I can see the results and eat it too, which is the best part! Wait till the novelty has worn off, I'll probably stop making bread then. But for now, each time I made one, it is still interesting and fun.

"Baking bread makes sense economically, even if you make your bread in a bread maker, it will be much cheaper than buying premade bread. It will also be healthier as your homemade bread will contain only those ingredients you include." Source here.

As a newbie, I browse around a lot for tips on breadmaking. There are gazillion tips and opinions on how to make the perfect bread out there. I thought I'll share some of the tips that I found here so that other newbies like me will benefit from it as well. (Note: tips are from other sources. Just sharing the info on my humble blog here.)

The Tips
1. Read, read, read - My initial mistake was trying to make bread for the first time without reading or understanding about the process first. I got the recipe and terus nak cuba. Though the bread turned out alright but it could have been better. It's good to get familiar with the types of ingredients needed, the steps required, understanding the role of each ingredients etc. Viewing the step by steps instructions available online or in a recipe book will help a lot for new beginners.

2. Get the best ingredients - This is a given, in my opinion. Using good ingredients will result in better bread. Bread only requires basic ingredients such as flour, water, salt and yeast. Adding sugar and butter will improve the flavour of bread. Other ingredients such as honey, nuts, fruits or grains will create different variations of breads from a simple bread recipe.

i. High protein flour or bread flour is used in most recipes and should be kneaded longer than regular flour.
ii. Store your whole grain (wholemeal) flours, nuts, grains in the refrigerator to make it last longer. Lightly toast the nuts before adding it in the recipe.
iii. Adding bread improver will make the bread super happy. While adding too much salt will reduce or destroy the yeast. Sugar however is the yeast's best friend.
iv. Eggs and butter should be at room temperature.
v. Yeast requires warmth to rise. Allow the yeast to proof before adding to flour. If the yeast is too old or gone bad, it will not proof after you mixed it with water.

3. Kneading - Kneading dough is important for at least 10 minutes. If the kneading is not long enough, the bread will be dense. Knead until the dough feel elastic or smooth. Dough should not stick to your fingers. Add more flour to keep the dough from sticking. Add more water if it seems too dry.

4. Rising - Let the dough rise until double in size. Rising time roughly from 40 minutes to 1 hour. To test the dough, press two fingers on the dough, if dent stays then the dough has doubled.

5. Baking - As oven temperatures may vary, check the bread from time to time. If it is browning excessively, remove from the oven and make an aluminum foil tent to shield them and the return them to the oven.

I didn't follow tip no 5 when I made this wholemeal bread. Didn't check the oven midway into baking it and didn't cover the bread with aluminum foil to shield them from burning on top. Lesson learned. Will try again though....the key is to be patient.

To read a superb entry on bread making tips from Jintanmanis, click here.

PS: If you have any tips to share, please share em with me. I would love to hear from you....

Me and Mr Darcy

2011-03-29T08:00:00.001+08:00

I love Mr Darcy. I love him ever since I first watched the BBC adaptation of Pride and Prejudice in which Colin Firth played Mr Darcy. Oooohhh terus jatuh cinta....with both Mr Darcy the character and Mr Firth the actor. I clearly need to see the movie again. Only problem is all our movie collections are in the box tucked away in the storage room somewhere. Sad but true. But anyway for your information, it is perfectly safe for me to say that I love Mr Darcy because Mr Ujang tak kenal pun siapa itu Mr Darcy. Jadi tidak akan berlaku sebarang kontroversi wokey... Just a fictional character kan..

This book has been published years ago but I only managed to read it recently. And it is the first book among my many books that I feel like doing a review. A good read, I must say. Hilariously funny. The kind where you'll be caught laughing out loud all by yourself. It is a book that will get you hooked from the moment you read the first page. Seriously....well at least for me it is.

The author of this book is Alexandra Potter. It is an homage to Jane Austen. A modern day retelling of Pride & Prejudice. Even Mr Darcy appears in this story! I know some reviews says that this book is a close copy of the original P&P but I like it nonetheless. I find the story to be well written and has a feel good feeling to it. Which I like. Gosh, I am a sucker for cheezy love story. A chick-lit fan!

The Story...
Main character is Emily, a diehard romantic. She works as a bookstore manager in New York. Always dream of the perfect guy. After too many bad dates with lousy guys, it is no wonder that she dreams of someone like Mr Darcy. Tall, handsome, rich...what's not to like. Heck, every girl is looking for Mr Darcy, right? The fun starts when she tried to escape a trip to Mexico with her bestfriend Stella and ended up booking herself on a guided tour of Jane Austen country instead. To her surprise, the tour bus was full with pensioners!! The only other passenger on the bus somewhat similar to her own age is Spike Hargreaves, a journalist for the Daily Times who joins the tour to write about why women would love to date Mr Darcy. You see, Spike is a direct opposite of Mr Darcy. Emily just simply cannot tolerate Spike.....and this is where the fun begins. The plot thickens when Mr Darcy himself starts appearing in the story and have the hots for Emily too. Suddenly her fantasy turns reality.

What I like most...
Witty dialogues. This book is down right f.u.n.n.y. A lot of LOL sessions while reading it. I like the character Emily because she is a hopeless romantic who likes to talk to herself and you can read all the funny dialogues of her debating with herself on many instances especially when she comes face to face with Mr Darcy.

I like the twist and turns in this story. Emily getting caught in many unexplained situations makes the story interesting. I really like the fact that the author writes about what it would be like for someone to date Mr Darcy in this day and age. Modern day girl meets regency era guy. She also showed us his true personality, both good and bad. To some, he is the perfect man...full of integrity, with his brooding character and chilvarous persona. But will it work to date someone like that in this day and age? One that has so much pride and thinks that a man's place is far above a woman's? Mr Darcy's way of thinking is still circa 1800, remember...

Kudos to the author for writing such a lovely story. I recommend it to anyone who feels like curling up with a good book and have a good laugh while at it too. If you want to try to read a chick-lit, this book is a good one to start with.

PS: This mommy loves any P&P spin-offs...though she prefers BBC adaptation of P&P the most. Love Mr Darcy in Bridget Jones and of course, goes gaga over Mr Firth too.

Baking with my girls : Oreo Cupcakes

2011-03-28T08:00:00.002+08:00

Baking with the girls is ON again.

It has been a while since our last mother-daughters baking session. With us moving, adjusting to our new place and having a new baby, baking with the girls however has been put on a back burner for a while. Well, last week we give it a go and we made these..........

In this house, Oreo is the favourite cookie. The girls simply love Oreo. A bit too much sometimes.... So for this baking session, I picked this recipe Oreo Cupcakes from Mat Gebu's website. For the complete recipe, please click here.

I choose this recipe because it fits the criteria of a mother-daughter baking session -
1. simple recipe
2. not too many ingredients
3. quick & easy to make.

For this baking activity my helper was the lovely Miss Auni. While we were busy prepping the ingredients, Aila was taking her afternoon nap. Phewww....lega that I only got to do this with Auni cause she is good with listening & following instructions. Aila on the other hand, is a total opposite!

The prepping and mixing all the ingredients went on smoothly. I let Auni tried a few things on her own. First, she wanted to crack the eggs. But when half of the eggs were on the floor after she cracked it, I quickly move her on another task. She loves crushing the Oreo cookies to bits, though. I didn't use the blender or anything for this...just place the cookies in a plastic bag and it was Auni's job to crush em & mash em to bits and pieces.

We got 8 cupcakes in total. This cupcake is yummy. I got 8 cupcakes in total because the recipe is only for half batch. Just nice - tak terlalu banyak or sikit. Just enough for us to enjoy it. I find that the cupcake is not too sweet because it uses brown sugar instead of regular sugar. A selling point for me. Try it laaa....

Infertility and Me : From infertility to a mother of 3

2011-03-25T23:46:00.001+08:00

Friday. Glorious friday. Only minutes till midnight and I am sitting here in this bedroom accompanied by the soft sounds of breathing from my girls...all sleeping soundly in their beds. Tucked in all warm and cozy with their favourite blankets, I silently pray that all my girls will dream the sweetest of dreams tonight.

Yes, today is a good day to reflect. Jumaat...penghulu segala hari. A day for me to count my blessing as at this moment I am right where I want to be - being surrounded by my love ones. My babies. My angels. My girls.

A wise doctor friend told me recently to appreciate all the little things in life and never forget to count your blessings. Sentiasa bersyukur dengan apa yang ada, katanya. I nodded in agreement upon hearing what she said. Because I believe it too. It is important to appreciate the little things in life. Sometimes we take it for granted.

Baby pictures of the girls. Top to bottom - Auni at 3 months old, Aila also at 3 months old and Azra is now 2 months old. Back during our infertility phase, who knew that one day I'll be a mother of 3. To read more about my infertility stories, click here, here, and here.

Like today, the simple act of clipping the girls fingernails made me pause and appreciate the fact that I am able to do this act now. I wasn't able to do it before. I wasn't able to do this simple task 10 years ago. Or 8 years go. Or 6. There were just the two of us back then.

Well now, I can't remember the countless of time where I had to clip their nails, or comb their hair, or give them big hugs or blow them flying kisses or pinch their nose. You get the picture. Aaahhhh, the little things in life.

So come on, let us all give our love ones a big hug tonight. And ensure that we take the time to appreciate the little things in life. And of course, to always count our blessings.

Syukur walaupun sekecil-kecil nikmat Allah. Syukur. Syukur. Syukur.

Nighty night sleep tight....my babies.

How do you find ME time?

2011-03-24T18:20:00.000+08:00

Time is a luxury we don't have. Agree?

Recently my lovely blogger friend Nur share a comment on one of my previous entry to remind me to "make sure from time to time to find some ME time".........and it makes me wonder....

How do you find ME time? or what do you do as your ME time?

ME time in this house is rare especially since the arrival of little Azra. It exist...but rare. Once in a blue moon. Oooo I soooo look forward to my ME time especially the ones outside from home. Soon...have to make time for one soon.

I read somewhere in cyberspace a story of one mother stating that a trip to the grocery store as her ME time. A grocery store! You might think that a grocery store is an unlikely place for someone to consider spending as a ME time but to her, it is. Because for that hour or so, she is away from her kids and her other responsibilities to just be.......probably be in the moment or enjoying the opportunity to shop without any interruptions. Eemmm, I can relate to that. Yes, I can.

Long long ago.....Friday after work was my movie night with friends. So that was something to look forward to. I miss those times. I miss my movie friends too.

Curling up in bed with a good book and reading it in one go is the ultimate ME time for me. But the chances of doing that now is so few and far between. Now I am lucky with just a few pages at a time. I can't even finish reading the newspaper sometimes....huhuhu.

But I am not complaining. I'll have my ME time eventually. Maybe it won't be for the whole day but little time off for myself once a while adds up eventually, right...

Ok, back to my question....how do you find me time? What do you do during your precious ME time? Oooohhh come on, share them with me and make me jealous...until I am green with envy...hehehe.

Have a good day ahead, folks.... till next time.

Wordless Wednesday : Counting 1,2,3 with Nescafe

2011-03-23T15:07:00.006+08:00

Emmm, let's see. How do I count this?

I can use these to count. 1...2...3....

oh...I got it. Answer is 8!

Mommy says to write neat and tidy.

6...7...8....9....10...

See what I can do....taaadaaaa.......

Breastfeeding with love........

2011-03-22T18:59:00.000+08:00

When Sir Francis Bacon said "Knowledge is POWER!" many years ago, that simple quote is still as powerful now as it was then. Especially if I apply it towards my journey of breastfeeding Azra, that is. Yes..knowledge is power, indeed....

Lately I have been reading a lot on this topic especially through other mothers/bloggers out there. I must say, I gained a lot by reading their stories. When they share....by reading it, I gained. With the breastfeeding tips that they have.....by learning it, I gained. With all the words of wisdom that they write......by understanding it, I gained.

For this I salute all the mothers out there in their effort to fully breastfeed their little ones. I too am trying my best to give THE BEST to little Azra.

Breastfeeding to me is not as simple as ABC. There is a technique to it. An art. Some people can do it easily, some can't. So when Azra came, I decided to equip myself with as much knowledge as I can regarding breastfeeding. Because knowledge is power. With knowledge I can prepare myself mentally and physically, plus be more motivated too.

I know....I know...you may wonder because this is not my first time. I have 2 older girls, right...so breastfeeding should be easy. Been there, done that before....kind of thing. But I did not manage to breastfeed Auni or Aila for long. If I am not mistaken, I breastfed Auni for around 7 months. Aila was even less than that, probably around 4 months. At that time, I was working and although I am the only employee in the building with the key to the baby's room (which means I can have the room all to myself all the time...) I still give up after 4 months. Looking back, I wish I didn't give up so easily. Because I know it is not Aila's choice to drink formula. It was in my hand to decide and I choose the easy route. Open the can of formula and taaadaaaa.....MILK is ready!

Don't get me wrong, there is nothing wrong with formula. I am a product of formula milk too. I am not from a family of breastfeeding mothers. So I have nothing against using formula or mothers who chooses to use formula.

I am marely pointing out that my desire to breastfeed before was not as great as now and I give up on the slightest of hiccups or hardship. I should have been more motivated, though.

But yesterday is history. Tomorrow is a mystery. Today is a gift. So from now on, I plan to take it one day at a time in my quest to give the best to little Azra. Breastfeeding with love......

PS: Almost 2 months of breastfeeding but this mommy is not setting any target. Just doing the best that she can....one day at a time.

This mommy would like to thank the following for making her breastfeeding journey goes smoothly and with ease this time around. Muchas, muchas gracias.....
1. Medela - my trusty old friend.
2. Shaklee - my new best friend.
3. The great H2O - because water is life!
4. Pro-bf bloggers - because they have awesome blogs like HERE and HERE.
5. My love ones - for their never ending support especially when I need answers. To the lovely ladies Ana, LJ, Mas...thank you. And Ujang of course.

Most importantly, my utmost gratitude to Allah the Most Gracious, for giving me strength, patience and courage in my journey to give Azra the best of me.

Reference: Advantages of breastfeeding, click HERE.

Hot Air Balloon Fiesta

2011-03-21T22:02:00.000+08:00

Anyone got the chance to go to the 3rd Putrajaya International Hot Air Balloon Fiesta last weekend? We did. Twice!! Actually there is a good reason as to why we went there twice. The aim is to make a quick trip to see the balloons ONLY. But we ended up going there 2 days in a row. And the story goes like this....

1st attempt: Saturday
Living in Bangi and with Putrajaya being just a short distance away, we thought that it'll be a good idea to take the girls to see the hot air balloon and see what the fuss is all about. I have read about the 2nd balloon fiesta from other blogs before.

So we got the girls ready and they were excited to see the balloon. But as usual, when you have kids and trying to get them ready and out the door on time is a BIG challenge in this house. The morning plan turns out to be an afternoon plan instead.

As soon as we arrived, we all looked up towards the sky and wonder out loud, "Where are all the balloons??" Of course we all assumed that the balloons will be up in the air all day..hehehe. Tekaan jauh tersasar rupanya... And when we got there, we didn't see any itinerary board in sight to check. Now what?

So lesson learned. Always check for the details beforehand in order to avoid wasting time especially if you're like me - with a baby in tow. Luckly little Azra was a good sport that day. She was sleeping the whole time....phewww.

In the end, we made a quick spin around the place and decided to head elsewhere. But not before buying the one thing that the girls drool over. And this we cannot escape. The toy bubble gun! One each, no less.... taknak share!

2nd attempt: Sunday
Another attempt at viewing the hot air balloon came at last on late Sunday evening. Again we made a quick stop but this time we can't even park near the venue. There were a lot of people over there. We had to be satisfied with just stopping at Warisan Bridge to snap a few pictures.

So we parked. Turun. View the surroundings. Snap pictures. Head back to the car. Go home. Finally, the mission to just see the balloons...accomplished!

Raisin bread, anyone?

2011-03-19T06:00:00.002+08:00

I made this recently. Can you believe it? I baked! Yes sirree....... A simple raisin bread which I got the recipe from Mat Gebu's blog (I love his blog......love it, love it, love it!).

Maybe my sister's recent visit to my house, has rub her interest in baking on me a little bit. Or maybe it is just because I love bread so much that I had to start making some on my own. We don't just eat bread in this house...we devour it. During my confinement, on average we spend around RM30 per week on bread alone. More than Rm100 per month!!! Some Ceo guy in Gardenia is sure happy with this news, I bet. Luckly confinement period dah over.

Ok back to the bread, this bread is easy to make. Heck trust me, if I can do it, you can to. Only thing is once I made it, it didn't last long enough. All gone! Must make more of it soon.

You can find this recipe Roti Kismis Gebu by clicking HERE. The bread is soft, yummy and simple to make. Try it laah...

Happy Baking everyone and have a good weekend with your love ones.

Dinos Alive! Festival

2011-03-18T10:59:00.008+08:00

Don't know what to do or where to go with your kids this weekend? How about a trip to Pusat Sains Negara at Bukit Kiara for the Dinos Alive! Festival. They have loads of fun activities for the kids. Best daaa....

I read about this event at my friend Unai's blog. Click and read her entry, here. After viewing all the photos of her outings at Pusat Sains Negara, I really wanted to take the girls there too as I am sure they would enjoy it. True enough, they did.

We went there last weekend and the girls were looking forward to go since I told them the night before. They woke up early and got ready with no problem what so ever. But we only managed to go later that evening as my dad's car that we are currently using now, broke down!!! Arghhh...(Lots of drama with that car lately and what happen that day to the car is worth another entry all together..soooo much drama!) Memang kecewa the girls.....as we couldn't go much earlier. Although we only have roughly 2 hours or so before the exhibition ends at 5pm, we still give it a go as it'll be a good exposure & experience for the girls. Lagipun semua dah siap, pergi je laaa

When we got there, I thought we are only going to see exhibition on dinosaurs but I was surprise to see that they have a lot of other things catered for kids as well. So many science related games and displays for the young and old to enjoy. A lot of hands-on activities for the girls to try which they really like. There is also the kids' zone with games that are age appropriate for both Auni and Aila, so both can play & learn together.

The Dinos Alive! exhibition will be on till 31 May 2011. But during this school holiday Pusat Sains Negara put out additional activities for us all to enjoy lined up in their Dinos Alive! Festival which started on 12-20 March 2011.

Apart from the exhibition of dinosaurs, some of the activities available for this weekend Saturday/Sunday 19-20 March 2011 are as below:
- Play with Pleo
- Decorating Dinos Cookies
- Dinos Art
- Dinos Trail and Fossil Casting
- Dinos Mask Up
- Coloring contest for kids (4-5 years, 7-9 years and 10-12 years)
- and many many more.....

Overall the girls really had fun that day. Auni even made a request to go there again as she didn't get the chance to play sepuas-puasnya that day. We didn't even cover all of it as it was already closing time. The best part was seeing the smiles on the girls' faces and knowing that they truly had a good time that evening.

Aila said it best that day "Daddy, I am not scared of dinosaurs. I am scared of cockroach! This is so much fun!" and at the same time she begged her daddy to carry her and hang on to him for her dear life each time we walk pass a replica of a dinosaur!

For more information on Dinos Alive! click on here. It opens from 9am to 5pm.

PS: This mommy would like to thank the kind employees of PSN for allowing her to stay indoor with the girls after the closing hours while waiting for the car. They made sure that little Azra is comfortable sleeping in the cool airconditioning waiting area instead of the hot sun outside. Thank you for your kind consideration.

Wordless Wednesday : a baking wizard....

2011-03-16T12:59:00.004+08:00

My sister, Kak Ina's recent creation. A talent which I don't have and am envious of.

Happy Wednesday folks. It's good to be back!

My Postpartum Journey ~ It's soo OVER.

2011-03-09T11:07:00.008+08:00

This is strictly ramblings, folks.

My 44 days in pantang has finally come to an end. Soo over. Done. Tamat. Finito. You get my meaning...

So how do I feel now? Much calmer, much better & much lighter. Overall, I feel good. But not great. Not there yet....I look forward till I can say I feel "super duper great". Bila tu yaa? Soon, I hope.

So how did I feel then? Overwhelming, challenging, tiring, mind boggling & plain nuts. But despite all the chaos, the feeling of ever-so grateful is there. It is present in my mind all the time. Because I am aware that even though there were challenging times, I never want to change a bit of my past 44 days in confinement. You've just got to have a little bad days in order to fully enjoy the good ones. True?

I do feel a little bit of sad though. InsyaAllah this is my last pantang memantang. I raise a white flag in surrender. God knows we are blessed with 3 angles now. Raising them....and raising them well will be our main focus next. Plus, I am not getting any younger. Tulang & urat dah sakit mak oooii. So I'll put a stop to my socks-wearing & ginger-eating days in confinement. Soo over. Done. Tamat. Finito. Full STOP!

Photo: Google lah

PS: This mommy wish for more sleep and looking forward to her first teh tarik in 44 days.

An expensive hobby to maintain.......

2011-03-08T11:35:00.006+08:00

Last night out of the blue, I got a call from my dad. It's been a while since we last talk so the call was a pleasent surprise. And when we chat the topic of conversation would lead to only one thing : CARS!

Cars. Cars. Cars. It is his hobby. His passion. His obsession.

He loves to read, search, buy, fix and collect anything and everything about cars. Mostly antiques and secondhand cars. It is one expensive hobby to maintain. Truly, even my sister thinks that he needs to go and see a psychiatrist because of his obsession with cars! I agree with you sis, hehehe. But as they say, when you love something, money is not an issue, eh...

So last night when he called, immediately I asked "Beli kereta lagi ka?" and he just laughed. He got caught! Bingo.

For as long as I can remember, my dad's interest towards cars goes way way back. If there is ever a contest amoung us to name each models that he bought and owned throughout the years, we would surely fail. Let's see.....secondhand Mazda 323, Honda Accord, antiques Mini Minor & Morris Minor, Alfa Romeo, Proton sedan, Mercedes, several models of Toyota and Honda (but I don't remember the exact models), a van (don't recall the name either...), Hyundai Atos, BMW and a new MyVi. And I don't think I capture all the cars that he ever bought.

Get this, he bought 4 cars in 2010 alone. And last week he just bought another one and we are still in early March. Which means, there are 6 cars at home right now! That does not include 2 cars that both my younger brother and myself borrowed & are using now. I am not sure whether he can resist getting another one before the year ends. I doubt he can resist it cause it is after all, his crazy hobby. Expensive hobby!! Crazy daaa...

In my opinion, when it comes to cars my dad is an expert. I am being bias, I know. When we have car trouble, he is our source of reference. I remember just telling him about the sound that my car makes sometimes....greeengg, greeengg, greeengg...and he can point out to me where the sound came from, why it happen and what to do to make it stop...and all this through the phone!! Amazing kan. Sadly, none of my siblings or our significant other inherit my dad's interest in cars like he does. Or have the extensive knowledge of cars like he does. Kena peturun ilmu nih, pa.

When I say it is an expensive hobby, I truly believe it is. Collecting books like what I do is way much cheaper. For his hobby, first my dad willingly depart from his money to buy a car that he likes (which one time he even bought a car simply because he likes the numbers on the car plate!!! yikesss, sakit dah ni...) Then send the car to his trusty mechanic Ah Tee (more like his bestfriend than mechanic!) or Keat (another best buddy who does all the paint job for all his cars) for an overhaul. Then he alternates driving each car to work.

The cycle of his hobby with cars is normally to buy a fixer upper/secondhand models, then do magic to it, keep it for a while and then sell it back!

Don't get me wrong, I am not writing this story to boast or brag about it. Far from it. We are just an average middle income family. Definitely not filty rich. But with an expensive hobby like my dad's, it certainly takes a lot of commitment and passion to maintain. Trust me, I know. My family knows too.

As my mom would always say "Biaq pi lah kat dia...."

Honesty is the best policy. Really?

2011-03-04T11:16:00.005+08:00

Let me ask you something. Is honesty the best policy when you want to know about how you look or about your weight? Do you really need to hear the brutal truth? Can you accept the answer after hearing it? Whatever happen to telling a white lie or a fib once a while to soften the blow, huh? Sometimes we need it. Don't you think so?

Well just recently, as I was standing in front of a mirror in the room before getting ready to go to bed, I dare to ask Ujang the one MAGIC question, in hoping of feeling warm and fuzzy after hearing his reply. Clearly, big mistake. Duh!!!

"Hampa, kami dah kurus sikit ka or kami still nampak gemuk lagi??" Immediately without even pausing for a thought, he answered "YES! Hampa still nampak gemuk!" Huaaa huaaa huaaa......sedihnya. A white lie at that moment would be good. Would make me sleep better & with a smile on my face too instead of feeling grumpy.

Isn't a man suppose to pause and think of a good answer before answering questions like that from a woman? Answers like "Oh honey, you look great" or "Alaaa dah kurus banyak dah tu, nanti sure kurus lagi..." would be music to my ears. Where are they?? Ayat ayat berbunga takdak ka. Huuuuuhuuuhuuuu.

Hampa, got the hint? hehehe...

PS: Wishing everyone a good weekend, ahead. Take care ya...

Photo: Google lah....here.

Better late than never....oh dear blog.

2011-03-03T13:11:00.009+08:00

Photo: Google lah...

Didn't know that I have reached another milestone today until I saw one of my many tickers below. My humble blog is already 1 year, 1 week and 2 days old. Woooooooo 1 year already?? So fast, meh??

H.a.p.p.y B.i.r.t.h.d.a.y B.L.O.G!!!

My wish would be....Hopefully there will be more good stories, more interesting drama and more adventures to share with dear family and friends in the future. More time for me to sit down and blog too.....

So after a year of blogging, what have I learned??
1. That I still don't know squat about blogging which is almost the same as when I started. "Must gain more knowledge ica... You want to write good entries, don't you?"
2. That it is a good stress reliever! Truly, you can rant and write about anything you want. Best tu....well, as long as no one gets hurt in the process that is. Kena berhemah gitu..kan..kan..
3. That you can make friends and learn a thing or two about them & their lives. Can you believe what some folks are doing out there?...hihihi dasyat.
5. That you need to be super-duper very-berry discipline to be a daily blogger and it can't happen if you are lazy like me...hehehe..That's ok, I like being a once-a-while blogger.
6. That my GRAMMAR is soooooo BADD! I can still hear my sister's words ringing in my head, "You have grammatical mistakes..." Yikes....36 yrs old me, daughter of a retired english teacher & educator and a sister to an english/discipline teacher, is clueless when it comes to grammar! It shows that I did not pay attention to my english teachers at school. One of them was my mother pulak tu!!

Ok enough already. 6 reasons are pretty good, eh?

Happy birthday again, dear blog. May you have many more......

PS: This mommy would like to say THANK YOU for visiting her humble blog. Hugs!

My Postpartum Journey ~ to Nilai Springs Resort we go..

2011-03-02T09:36:00.008+08:00

A slightly backdated event but worthy to be captured in here as one of our recent big adventure as a family. And the story goes....

On Day 25 of my confinement, we headed to Nilai Springs Resort for the weekend. This is another BIG reason why I snapped out of feeling blue and restlessness during the previous weeks. The girls and I tagged along with Ujang as he had to attend his department's offsite meeting/workshop for 3 days in Nilai. Initial plan was to go to Melaka but in the end, the meeting was held in Nilai Springs Resort instead.

The week before, Ujang asked me whether I wanted to tagged along with him. Immediately I yelled "Are you kidding me, of course YES!". Then he said, "But you are still in pantang kan" Duhh? Like I can stay with the girls alone for 3 days without any help. I'll go nuts. So it is better for me to follow and enjoy the change of scenery. Nilai is not that far from the house. Why not. At least it is much better than being cooped up in the house all day, right? Boring....

That evening before we go, I packed everything in a rush. Got all the girls ready and to Nilai Springs we go. Yeahooo.....

Honestly, when I was there I didn't get the chance to venture out and see the resort that much. I spend most of my time enjoying the moment with little Azra while Auni & Aila are big enough to occupy their time with their silly games and imaginary adventures. Come to think of it, the girls sure can come up with some crazy silly games. Furthermore, Auni loves to play pretend this or pretend that...a doctor, a pirate, a chef. You name it lah...macam macam ada.

The challenging part was not because I was still in confinement....Oh nooo, dalam pantang pun boleh jalan sana sini. No problem. I was in great spirits then. The challenging part was the fact that our room was facing the gigantic pool. I mean it was huge! So the girls got really impatient waiting for their dad to finishes each of his workshop session. The bummer part was that Ujang's schedule was packed. He had to attend 3 sessions in the morning, afternoon and night. So he only had limited time during his break to take the girls out to the pool or playground. Thank goodness for their daddy cause he took the girls out and around any change he got.

Easily put - the girls put on such a long sour face when their daddy was working and change to a happy big-smily face when he got back!!

Overall, our stay there was great. Though I didn't see much of the resort apart from the room and lobby, but the room was comfy. I only wish that the TV channels would have better selections or the fridge in the room to be cooler....it makes storing my EBM a real challenge. But I noticed that a lot of folks from other companies were there too either for a weekend meeting or teambuilding. So the place must be popular for companies to organize their offsite meetings.

Emmmm....where will our next adventure be? I can't help but wonder....This is our 5th month since moving here, I really really miss my hometown and all the nasi kandar in Alor Setar & Penang..huhuhuhu.......sedihnya.

To checkout the link to Nilai Springs Resort, click HERE.

Shaklee ~ It works for me.

2011-03-01T14:13:00.004+08:00

Something came in the mail yesterday and I am excited. My order of Shaklee (Set B Full Set) that I ordered recently has arrived. It is what I have been waiting for, thus the excitement. Why? Because this product simply works and it works for me!

Don't get me wrong, I am not Shaklee's independent distributor and I don't even have a membership ID with this MLM company. But I have been using this product for a few months now and I just want to share my thoughts on this.

I have to admit, it is not easy being a SAHM caring for 3 kids and at the same time having to do everything else all on your own. Juggling it all can be very tiring and most days you feel like you are running out of steam. Most of the time you have no energy to keep up with the rest. I trust that many mothers regardless whether you are a working mom or stay at home mom, can identify and relate on this fact alone.

So I decided to find a remedy. Mind you, finding the remedy that works does not come easy for me because I don't like to try new products. And there are tons of new products out there to choose from. But I stumble upon Shaklee after reading about it in cyberspace. And I said to myself, why not give it a try. Plus, they have a trial pack that I can buy to see whether the vitamins would suit me or otherwise.

All these while, I have been big fan of taking vitamin supplements for health although previously, I don't take it as regularly as now. During my 3rd trimester, I have been reading a lot on Shaklee and the more I read, the more it pulls me to give it a try.

My first trial pack was for pregnant mothers. Once that was done, I bought Shaklee's confinement set to use after my delivery. I noticed by taking the supplements regularly, it helps me to maintain good energy throughout the day. It makes my body feel much better than before and it also improves my mood (although I did have episodes of baby blues at the beginning of confinement but now it is gone, thank God!). In terms of my overall health, I feel good! Excellent.

The supplements also helps in my effort to breastfeed Azra which has been smooth sailing so far. I can see the difference. I am proud to say that I am able to store more EBM for Azra versus during the time when Auni and Aila were babies. Syukur sangat.....

In a nutshell, I am just glad that I finally found something that works for me. Cause trust me, I really need the extra energy. Plus, I swear off drinking coffee for a while now, so where else am I going to get the extra boost of energy if not by taking supplements, eh??

Shaklee's reference: Cery's blog is one of my source of reference on Shaklee's product. Her blog is packed with information regarding Shaklee. Click Cery to read more about it and decide if Shaklee would work for you too.

PS: This mommy believe that people should check and select a good brand or product for buying because what you feed into your body is important. She is somewhat skeptical of brands that promises instant results as commonly published in the local magazines nowadays. Betoi ka berkesan???

Going crazy over Dora & Diego at Bookxcess

2011-02-25T06:00:00.001+08:00

I must confest, I am feeling much better this week. Regardless of how many things on my to-do list, I feel wonderful. Happy, in fact. Why, you asked? Well, one reason is because I received all the books that I have reserved from Bookxcess recently and am loving it. Books..books...ahhh they always makes me H.A.P.P.Y! Yippee.....

I LOVE Bookxcess eventhough honestly, I have never step foot inside the bookstore. I simply love it nonetheless. Bookxcess is all about reading for less but even without going there physically, I willingly gave them a lot of my money this month alone on books. Dora & Diego books above are just a few of my recent purchase. I like and the girls love them too.

I got to know Bookxcess from my cousin LJ. She told me about it last year when Bookxcess organized their mega book fair Nov last year - the BIG BAD WOLF book fair which I wrote all about it in my previous entry. To read, click here. After my splurged during the book fair, I thought I may not be tempted to buy another book for a while.

Boy, was I wrong. How do you stop a book lover from buying books? You can't, right? Mission impossible. Plus, I never ever felt guilty after investing my money on books. Do you?

Since I am a big fan, it is a no brainer for me to be their fan in Facebook. And what's cool about it is that every month Bookxcess will publish pictures of books that are on sale or their new arrivals. So for Feb's new arrivals, I drool over a few books that are on the list. The bummer part is that I am in confinement now, remember (just a few more days to go...hooraaah). Thus, I can't physically go there even if I want to. Sabar je laa..

The plus side is that my cousin LJ practically goes to Bookxcess nearly every week. Yup, she is hooked too. Thus, when she came by to the house recently and made an offer to pick up the books for me, I couldn't resist. I just had to take her up on the offer. In the end, I made 2 reservations at Bookxcess. LJ made a trip to pick up one list and Ujang made another trip to collect the rest.

7 books for me & 7 books for the girls = Everybody H.A.P.P.Y! Well, except Ujang coz I have yet to convert him to be a book lover....hihihi.

When I saw the photos of Dora & Diego's books in FB, I quickly made my reservation. I know for sure the girls would love it. Plus, each book cost around RM7.90 to RM9.90, that is way cheaper than buying at other book stores. Actual retail price is around RM17.90 to RM24.90. See how much I saved? The girls got a kick out of reading Dora & Diego adventure before bedtime with mommy, well unless one of us falls asleep first that is.

Well, enough about it already. Next time I'll share with you on the books that I bought for ME! Haaahaaahaaa.... For more info on Bookxcess, check out the info below.

Bookxcess - Read More For Less
Location: L3-60 Amcorp Mall, 18 Jalan Persiaran Barat, Petaling Jaya 46050 Malaysia
Operating Hours: Open everyday from 10.30am to 9.30pm, 365 days a year.
General inquiries: info@bookxcess.com
Online reservation: sales@bookxcess.com Books are resv for 7 days.
Link: http://www.bookxcess.com/ and http://bookxcessblog.com/
Be a fan: http://www.facebook.com/Bookxcess

Azra turns 1 month old today....

2011-02-24T10:34:00.006+08:00

How fast time flies...how fast time flies. That seems to be my favourite saying nowadays. Which is true, don't you think? My little baby turns 1 month old today. So fast....before you know it, she'll be going to school next, going on dates soon after, getting married! Woooohooo calm down mommy, don't even go there yet. Breathe...breathe. Imagine raising 3 girls in todays world....scary! But cepatnya masa berlalu.

Happy 1 month old, sweet Azra. Please be the same...as sweet as you are now. We love you.

Things I noticed regarding Azra as she turns 1 month old today :

Azra is a no fuss baby. Thank God. Alhamdulillah syukur...
She can burp like a champion. Buuuurrrppppp!
She has pinchable cheeks now. She was born tiny.....can hardly pinch her cheeks then but you surely can do it now! She got double chin tooo...
She definitely weighs more than 3kg now. Though I am not sure her exact weight right now but will know for sure during her next check up, I am pretty sure she weighs more than 3kg now. It is easier to hold her now compared to when she was born at 2.55kg.
She sleeps during the day and wakes up at night. Heeemmm, mommy needs to adjust & remedy this pronto!!
She can be choosy when it comes to feeding time. Only likes to feed on one side instead. There goes mommy's boobs.....huhuhu.
She has a fanbase at home. Clearly, I cannot do anything with little Azra without having her 2 big sisters hovering over me and the baby. Even at this young age, she has 2 diehard fans in the house! Cool, eh....

Well girl, it is a privilege and an honour to be your mommy. The best is yet to come.....you'll see.

PS: This mommy is scratching her head trying to find more time to blog & blogwalking cause to her, blogging is a great stress reliever!

When you notice all the ants and the fly.....

2011-02-17T11:02:00.008+08:00

This is strictly ramblings, folks.

Aila the little cheeky entertainer.

I don't know what is wrong with me. I feel so restless this time around during my confinement. It wasn't like this before. I remember when I was in confinement with Aila, I wish the confinement period would be longer than just 44 days. Definitely I want it to be longer than my 2 months maternity leave. Perhaps because I need to go back to work soon after my ML was over and dreading the thought of leaving Aila at the nursery.

Azra on Day 19

But this time around, it is different. The opposite. I feel restless. I feel like I want to go out and see the world. And not being stuck at home 24/7. I feel like going shopping. Feel like going to the bookstore. Feel like eating out. Feel like going for a buffet too. Yup, just imagining those delicious mouth watering selections of food on the buffet table makes me wanna go there NOW. How about that....what is wrong with me??? huhuhuhu....

My lunch for today. I am dying for other food than lauk pantang. Huhuhuhu. With my limited cooking skills and time constraints, I only cook simple dish daily. If it takes more than a few minutes to cook, then I'll pass.

And it is not like I have nothing to do at home. Tons of things actually. One after another until I am able to sit and chill once Ujang is back from work which is always late! Sob, sob, sob. So, why restless?? Bored, maybe. Bored?? What?? If I am bored with the same routine day in & day out during my confinement, than I'll be in deep trouble. It'll be the same set of routine after the confinement too. Yikes....

Azra today on Day 24

Note to Ica's brain: When you are noticing the ants or flies or even a tiny speck of dust on the coffee table or anywhere in the house for that matter AND you feel bothered with it, then you need to break free, Ica. Too much being indoor would do you no good. Get out and smell the fresh air. Hemmm...that's a thought.

Well, thank goodness for the internet, I must say. At least if I can't go out, I can read about it thru blogwalking pun jadik laaaaa.

ps: This mommy is wondering whether it's just me or other mothers feel the same way too. Hemmmmmm......

Kak Long and Kak Ngah? Oh no...no...noooo

2011-02-16T17:12:00.005+08:00

The moment Azra was born, Ujang has been trying to get Auni and Aila familiar with us calling them Kak Long and Kak Ngah. Oh boy, it sure wasn't easy. The girls are so used to referring themselves by their own name. Of course they didn't understand the need for a new name. But he gave it a shot anyway....

Daddy: "Auni, from now on we are going to call you Kak Long, ok."
Auni: "But why daddy?"
Daddy: "Because you are a big sister now to both Aila and Azra, so you need to be Kak Long lah."
Auni: (seems rather confuse with daddy's explanation.....) "Eerrr, daddy.....tak mau lah. I just want to be Auni saja....or be a doctor. Be Auni or be a doctor, itu saja. Tak mau lah be Kak Long!"

Daddy: "Aila, you are now Kak Ngah tau".
Aila: "No, no, no, no....Aila."
Daddy: "Kak Ngah...."
Aila: "Noooooooooo Aila. Aila! Aila! AILAAAAAAAAAAA!!"
Daddy: "heeemmmm....susah jugak nih.."

That was it. End of conversation between daddy and his girls. From then on, no more calling the girls by kak long and kak ngah. Better luck next time, I suppose.

PS: Happy Wednesday folks.....take care.

My Postpartum Journey ~ Feeling so blue......

2011-02-15T14:00:00.000+08:00

Photo : Click here.

Postpartum blues or baby blues or maternity blues.......whichever you want to call it is a condition that some say almost 90% of mothers could experience after childbirth. 90% is a high percentage, don't you think so? Well, I am one of those mothers in the statistics.

Today mark my 22nd day after delivery and already I have experienced 3 episodes of "cry me a river". Bucket of tears. What trigger the outburst of tears? Nothing specific really. An unanswered phonecall recently made me cry. When Ujang answered things in his "I'm-not-in-the-mood" tone lead to tears as well. Dealing with Aila in one of her many meltdowns had me in tears too. It is unpredictable, I must say.

But 3 is not too bad compared to my previous pregnancy. So I am taking it as a blessing.

As I said, I was even worst during my confinement with Aila. Maybe the thought of leaving Aila after my 2 months maternity leave was up...triggered the series of baby blues. (I was still working at that time and I couldn't adapt well to the "pressure cooker environment" back in my old company. Thus, I had many baby blues episodes then.) Or maybe because at the same time after Aila was born, her sister Auni was down with HFMD and had to be separated from seeing or toucing her baby sister as we do not want the little one to be infected too. Or maybe just because having another baby and coping with caring for 2 kids makes me feel overwhelmed.

And now I have 3 girls to care for....(breathe Ica, breathe..hooh.hooh.hooh.). Ok, so the plan is to take it one day at a time, one task at a time and one step at a time.

Symptoms of the blues
1. Weepiness and bursting into tears.
2. Sudden mood swings.
3. Anxious and hypersensitive to criticism.
4. Poor concentration and indecisiveness.
5. Feeling "unbonded" with baby.
6. Restless insomnia.
7. Low spirits and irritability.

Main cause of the blues
The ever changing tides of HORMONES is the main factor but sometime hormones is not the only reason. Sleep deficit is another factor too.

Coping with the blues
1. Sleep, sleep and more sleep. It is common for you to suffer from sleep deprivation during your postpartum weeks. So try to catch up on some zzzz as often as you can. Personally, this is easier said than done especially if you have older kids to care for as well. But catnaps or power naps, really helps.
2. Support from your family, spouse and friends. Having lots of support from the people you love is very important as it will boost your confidents and help to lift your spirits. So share the love, folks.......
3. Plenty of rest is best.
4. Time heals everything. Be patient and pray to Allah for guidance.

I like this words from DrGreen.com.
"Every new beginning is also an ending of what was before. Every ending is a beginning. Whenever a baby is born, the world will never be the same. This is wonderful. It's also okay to grieve for the loss of the way life was before."

Perhaps, I grieve for my old routine which has plenty of sleep in it!! Muaahhaahaa...

PS: This mommy is catching on some sleep since Ujang is at home today....wooo hooo.

Auni turns 5 today!! Woooohooooo.............

2011-02-10T14:24:00.005+08:00

Today my darling Auni turns 5 years old. How fast time flies....

Imagine that, just 5 years ago on this date I held her in my arms for the first time. What a beautiful feeling it was.....sheer joy because she is our first born and we have been waiting to hold her in our arms for so long. And now, she is already 5 years old....imagine that!!

At the begining of the week, both Ujang and I keep on reminding Auni of her birthday coming soon. But Auni being Auni...would say "I know it's my birthday but jangan cakap to everyone...Auni takut". Huh??? Just the comment you would get from an introvert girl...hate to be the center of attention. So to respect her wish no one at school knows that today is her birthday.

But everyone in the whole world would know. Cause what she does not know (or understand) is that her mommy has a blog!!. (Bukannya satu dunia tau pun about this blog..tak famous pun..hehehehe.)

Soooooooo.......

Happy Birthday my sweet. Both mommy and daddy will always pray for you. May you be blessed with good health and bright & shiny future ahead. May all your wishes and dreams come true....

On your special day today, mommy would like to give you 5 tips so that you'll grow to be a better person.
1. Listen to your mommy.
2. Listen to your daddy.
3. Always listen to your mommy no matter what.
4. Always listen to your daddy no matter what, unless what mommy say or suggest is better than daddy's.
5. Just listen to what your parents say....

Auni would like to say "THANK YOU" to auntie Lily (for the awesome princess book), auntie Ana (for the pretty baju) and her makngah (for the wardrobe full of new dresses). She loves it.....

PS: This mommy is enjoying some lone time right now, eventhough it may not last that long...2 girls are sleeping & 1 is watching tv. Aaahhhh, such treasure to have some time to myself. Very rare indeed...

My Postpartum Journey ~ 2 weeks of chaos.

2011-02-06T23:23:00.012+08:00

Chaos ~ a state of utter confusion or disorder; a total lack of organization or order.

Hats off to all mommies out there who can blog during the first week after delivery. Especially when the newborn is not their first born....meaning there are other kiddos screaming for their attention at the same time. Bravo ladies... How I wish I can be like you....

Fact is, I really want to capture many things that happened during the first week of confinement...but it is soooo hard! As any mothers would know, during the first week so many things happened to your body and for me, my first week was really tough. Phew...glad the first week was over and gone with. So long, bye..bye!

I get it...i know, medically your body needs to go through all the changes during the first week of confinement like afterpains, breast engorgement, pain and soreness in the perineal area, bleeding, mood changes, body out of shape etc...etc. But that does not mean I like to go through it. Syukur pada Allah, when all the pain vanished after the first week. If I am not mistaken, by day 5 I was so relieved that the afterpains was gone, I feel like I can do a cartwheel! (cuma I can't...hehehe)

That does not count the emotional rollercoster of having a newborn again while at the same time you need to divide your attention towards your other kids as well. Urghhh...nobody said it would be easy, that's for sure.

2nd week of confinement was slightly better. Physically, I still have soreness due to episiotomy but other than that, things are recovering nicely. Alhamdulillah.

For this confinement (just like my previous 2), I rely 100% from Ujang to assist me with all the chores & things to do. But this time around, we have 2 other girls that needs our constant attention as well which makes it even more challenging. Luckly, little Azra is such an easy baby to take care. A no fuss baby...thank goodness. I guess she understands that mommy and daddy have their hands full taking care of 3 angels in the house.

Total chaos, that's all I can say when it comes to my 2 week postpartum journey. No schedule, no rules, no routine....all upside down.

Opps, the little darling is awake. Got to go now...she sees me as FOOD!

Till next time, take care ya. I leave you with some pictures of Azra on day 14.....cheers.

Introducing little Azra..............

2011-01-26T15:27:00.003+08:00

AZRA

It is an honour for me to introduce to our family and friends our latest bundle of joy...little Azra.

Born on Monday 24 January 2011 at 8.02pm.

Birth weigh at 2.55kg

With mocha skin color just like her big sister Auni and 2 tiny dimples on her cheeks like her sister Aila, we welcome little Azra with open arms as she now completes our little family.

and....a first time, au natural birth for mommy. Ouch.......

Thanks to everyone for their kind thoughts and doa. We love you.....

1..2..3..4 and we all fall down!

2011-01-20T17:02:00.007+08:00

Photo: Google lah....

Finally I can log into my computer. At last....after days of being a nurse to the girls and then getting sick myself, thus relying on Ujang to be my nurse...huhuhu. How I wish this fever + flu episode will end soon.

When one got it, the four of us got it too....
1st case - Auni came back from school last Thursday with high fever and flu. She recovered well from her fever but still has a little bit of flu especially in the morning. Perhaps, her sinus is acting up too.

2nd drama - Aila got it on Friday but it took way longer for her to recover because she hates to take her meds or drink water. She likes to scream "Noooooo ubat! Tak mau eat ubat!" all day long though....

3rd person - Daddy's turn. Ujang got his fever and flu early Saturday. We were supposed to attend our cousin Ash's wedding that weekend but all plans goes down the drain.....Luckly, Ujang recovered pretty fast. He had to, I suppose.... just so that he could be our nurse instead.

4th one but not by choice - Yours truly. I hate it!!! It has been so long since I had fever and flu. And for a 8mths plus preggy lady like me to get it now...all I can say is "ARGHHHHH". I know that it would take much longer for me to recover. I am glad that Ujang forced me to lumur the whole body with air asam jawa jugak cause it is the only method that works to get my fever down. If I didn't do it, my temp will go up and down, up and down like a yo-yo.

So now, eventhough we are not 100% fit & healthy but we are getting there.....

During times like these when the house in utter chaos and everyone is either sick or attending to someone who is sick, I realized on a couple of things.....
1. It is hard for us now because we sort of hidup diperantauan and far away from our family members. So gone were the days where I can just rely on my sister or parents to drop by for a helping hand. They live so far away now......huhuhu. I bet many others out there are in the same boat.

2. It is a blessing for Ujang to recover quickly because he is the rock in this family. If he didn't, we would not be able too bounce back like this....Syukur sangat.

3. Having a maid at a time like this would certainly be handy. This coming from me yang tak pernah terfikir about having one all this while.

The big question is: whether having a maid will help to ease the burden or add the burden? Emmmm......I wonder.

Glad, Sad, Mad!!! but grateful too..

2011-01-14T14:28:00.013+08:00

Happy Friday, folks.

I am feeling a mixture of emotions today. Glad, sad and mad all at the same time. But thank goodness today is friday. Hopefully, tomorrow will be a better day, InsyaAllah.

I am SUPER GLAD because last night my sister & her family decided on an unplanned & spontaneous trip to our house all the way from Kedah. They arrived last night and my dear sis brought along special treats for the girls. Yummy.....

She baked for them a Barney cake & cupcakes. Delicious... Like Aila would always say "Super job, mak ngah".

Today my parents too are on their way to our place. As Kedahans will be observing a holiday on Sunday due to Sultan Kedah's birthday, both my parents and my sister & family took this opportunity to travel to our little casa during this extended weekend. What a treat. What a pleasure to have a house filled with company. Super duper GLAD...

However, I am SAD because our dear Auni is down with fever & flu after she came back from school yesterday. It wasn't too bad yesterday but her fever is high today. It has been a long while since she has fallen sick. Her track record has been so good so far but now I am worried. Oh dearest, I hope she'll get better soon. Really soon! Immediately! Now.....

Now I am MAD because my Auni will not be able to join in the fun and play with her cousins. Danial is her best cousin. Danilia is too. She always look forward to her cousins' trip to KL. She would always be the lead among them because she is the oldest. She is the life of the party sometimes. I am MAD because today, she is only resting and sleeping because she is sick. I am MAD because she can't flash her big smile when her Atok or Wawan arrived later on. Mad, mad, mad....

But despite it all, I am grateful too. Although we can't control the things that happen to us, there is always, always, always something to be thankful for. Always....

PS: This mommy wishes all family & friends out there a wonderful weekend ahead. Take care, ya.

Aila's 2.5 years of delight....

2011-01-13T10:38:00.010+08:00

Aila is 2.5 years old now. It's been a while since I write something solely about her. What a girl she is and what a delight. Of course without a doubt she is a blessing and a gift from Allah. It is an honour for me to be her mommy. Trully...

Aila is a child so full of life. You will see her smiling & bouncing in the morning and still bouncing & jumping before bedtime too. She can be bossy at times. She wants things her own way, which is normal at this stage of her development. She hates sharing sometimes, which makes her sister Auni really furious. She is kind and cheerful, silly and funny all at the same time.

Right now, she likes to boogy and do her silly dance all day. But despite her silliness, you can see that she is going through her terrible twos stage just like any other 2 year old. When she wants something, she wants it NOW. Pronto.... no ifs or buts about it.

What I noticed most about Aila is her language and speech skills is far better than when Auni was at her age. Perhaps because she is the second child, so she picks up things much faster that way. Or perhaps because she noticed that she needs to speak up in order to get what she wants. Or maybe it is just her personality, she is more talkative than her super shy older sister Auni.

Mind you, I am not comparing Aila with other kids her age because each child is different. But being a mother of 2 girls, you can't help but compare some of their skills and progress among each other. Sometimes we tend to do that as parents....or at least I do. If I notice something different about one daughter versus another, I would highlight it to Ujang as part of our observation and understanding. Every child is unique and different, right. So we embrace it and not condemn it.

As I was hanging our wet laundry to dry this morning, Aila came up from behind and said..."Mommy watch out, there's a puddle! Right here. See?"

Or when she said to me one day, "Mommy, Aila don't like butterfly. Scary! I like crocodile!"

As her mommy, I wouldn't change anything about my girl. As long as she is healthy and happy, she can bully me anytime she wants. Ohhhh....wait! Maybe there is one of her bad habbit that I can do without. Currently, she likes to hold on to her bottle all the time and her teeth is slightly jongang daaaa.....

Well Ujang, we better save up cause our little girl may need braces one day!

PS: This mommy predicts that Aila will be more demanding of my time when the new baby comes. Have to prepare myself for lots of drama titled "Jealousy and Sibling Rivalry."

In the mood for a little change...

2011-01-12T21:21:00.005+08:00

This is strictly ramblings, folks.

Aaahhhh, today I am in the mood for a little change. Change is a good thing, right. Though at my stage now, I can't change the furniture arrangement in my living room all by myself although I want to. And I can't change the way I look or how I feel at this moment...which is HUGE & FAT! but I am not complaining.

However, what I can do is change the "look" of my humble blog. Ok...ok... I was forced to do so actually. Since I started blogging, I have been using free blog design by Shabby Blogs which I love but this morning I got to know that I need to update my design coding before end of January or else the template will be gone.

So I search Shabbyblogs for old and favourite layout but unfortunately it is no longer there. What?? No choice then, I had to select other designs that I like and came up with this current template. Nothing fancy, though. Unlike other bloggers, I am pretty lazy to design my blog properly. I only cut and paste from free background templates available in the web.

For now, this design will do..... Ohh, I am sure when I am bored later on, I'll make another change. Cause change is a good thing, right. Even if it is as simple as changing the "look" of my humble blog.

If you are in the mood to change your layout, do checkout Shabbyblogs.com.

Till next time.... take care.

How to heal faster after delivery. Tips, please....

2011-01-10T16:31:00.006+08:00

The big day is approaching. Delivery is just around the corner if I benchmark this pregnancy with my 2 previous pregnancies. Both Auni and Aila came out screaming the day I turned 36 weeks pregnant. If I use that as my guideline, so that leaves me roughly about 2-3 weeks to go!! Yikes.... not that long now. Allah Maha Mengetahui..... hopefully, when the big day comes, I'll be ready. On second thought, what choice do I have but to be ready, right?

Photo: Google lah.

Lately, I have been reading a lot about delivery and the pain that naturally goes with it. You see, I am weak. I admit it right away. Lembik...lembik...lembik!!! The moment I have a little bit of ache or pains, I'll scream the house down. For sure! My coping skills with pain especially during delivery is bad, folks. I am not like those luckly few that can cope well with pain or has high tolerance for pain. Nope, not me.

When I delivered Auni, although at that time I was already 5cm dilated I requested for my doctor to perform an elective C-section instead. Takut punya pasai! It was a first time delivery for me after 6 years of waiting for a child. Not knowing that my recovery process from C-section surgery was even worst than my vaginal birth. It took so long for me to recover fully. Duhhhh...should have thought of that before opting for elective C-section, right. The pain during recovery was a long road, indeed.

I opted for VBAC or vaginal birth after caesarean during my 2nd delivery with Aila. My plan was to cut down on the healing process after delivery. But without prior vaginal birth experience and the fact that the doctor had to use vacumm extraction & episiotomy incision, I still think that my recovery process was longer than most people. Minah lembik, remember....

If I compare myself to my sister, she was up & about much quicker & faster after both of her caesarean deliveries. Macam tak sakit ja nampak..... Some people are lucky that way.

Right now, thinking of the birth and delivery that I'll be going through for this 3rd baby is really scaring me. I am not looking forward for the afterpains or the discomfort of episiotomy afterwards.

The BIG question: How to heal faster after delivery? Any tips?? Please share them with me. Help!!

PS: This mommy knows that she'll have to go thru with it no matter what. The outcome of seeing the new baby is worth all the pain, that's for sure. But thinking of the BIG DAY is giving her the jitters!! Seram sejuk dibuatnya....

Now that's what I call music.....

2011-01-10T09:48:00.009+08:00

This is strictly ramblings, folks.

So I bet a few of us watched AJL 25 last night. Ok...ok...maybe not a few but a whole lot of us watched the show aired live on TV3 last night. Though I don't follow the music scene religiously, I would always ensure to watch AJL each year just for the fun of it. Last night's show was good but AJL 23 & 24 were much better, in my opinion lah...

Photo: Google lah..

Before the big show, you read and hear predictions after predictions for the top 3 winners, be it in the newspapers, blogs, FB and etc. but I bet a lot of people were surprised to hear when they announced Ana Rafali's song 'Tolong Ingatkan Aku' won as best song last night. Heck, even Ana herself was shocked by the news when they called her name as the big winner. Banyak tekaan dah jauh tersasar daaaaa...... Kudos to Ana. Such a smart & talented lady. I like the way she briliantly articulate & answer questions regarding her big win on this morning's MHI show. Pandai dia susun kata-kata....

On another note, this AJL was not the same to me without my favourite singer Aizat. Now, he is one talented young man. It is so refreshing to see talented young singers who can compose their own songs & write their own lyrics. Unlike singers in the old days...

'Susun Silang Kata' by Aizat is such a lovely upbeat song which I like. It is such a great song for you to do the silly dance with your kids. At least I did it with Aila this morning and you should see how little Aila golek and gelek to the song. Such fun. Next time, I'll be sure to post Aila's silly dance move so you can see it for yourself - my little superstar in action!

Video courtesy of: Joehahah YouTube.

Till then, I leave you folks with my favourite song of the moment 'Susun Silang Kata' by Aizat. Hopefully this song will put a smile on your face especially on a day like this...a great Monday blues remedy.

Happy Monday everyone.....take care.

How do people choose baby names?

2011-01-07T15:47:00.009+08:00

At this moment, I somewhat have a name in mind that I believe would be perfect for our little one (coming soon, InsyaAllah...coming really soon :). It is much easier this time around for me to select a name compared to when I was pregnant with my first child Auni.

This time around, it is a given that our new baby will carry a name with the same initials as her sisters. It is also a given that her first name will be short and simple just like her sisters too. I love short and simple names. A four letter name that starts with the letter A. Easy to remember. Easy to spell. Easy to write.

Way back before I had kids, I always knew that I would want to name my child with a name that is short and simple. I think it has always been my preference that way. Selecting a short and simple name also had to do with me growing up & had to listen to some people pronouncing my name incorrectly. It erks me to no end.....Absolutely hate it.

Photo source: Google lah...

What I didn't know was that Ujang too had his own preference in mind. So a tug of war occurred during the process of finding the perfect name for Auni. At one corner, there's yours truly wanting a short and simple name. And then there's Ujang with his own selection. So in the end, we compromised. I choose the first name & he with the middle name. Hidupkan kena ada kompromi...baru aman dunia, betoi tak?.

So now, each child carries 2 names - the first name is from mommy and the middle name is from daddy. It is common nowadays for a child to have 2 names, right. Some even have 3....or even 4! Yikes...panjangnya. It makes me think of the lovely Nurul Shuhada Nurul Ain sejenak...hehe!

Finding the right name for your child is a personal choice. Choosing it can be such fun or it can be one of the most stressful decisions too. Some people opt for popular names or names with significant meanings or because of family tradision. But whatever the decisions may be, choose it wisely as it will be part of your child for a lifetime.

Just Curious : How do you choose your child's name? Was it easy or do you have to make a long list?? Share em, please....

Click this link and see which name tops the chart for 2010. The most popular baby names among Muslim parents 2010.

For more pregnancy reference, check out BabyCenter.

Till next time, folks. Have a fantastic weekend yaaaa.... Take care.

33 weeks and counting....

2011-01-06T15:11:00.011+08:00

Photo source: click here

I went for my biweekly checkup today. When the nurse asked me how far along am I, immediately I said "34wks kot". But in actual fact the scan indicated "32wks and 6days". That's ok. I knew all along that I am pretty bad with numbers. 32wks, 33wks or 34wks.....it doesn't matter. What matters is that the baby is progressing well as she should be. And with that news, I am GLAD. Syukur....

This morning's checkup was my 2nd checkup since moving to this new area. I choose to give birth at An-Nur Specialist Hospital as it is quite nearby from the house. I can sense that my new doctor is a kind and patient doctor which is always a good thing. But the experience of going for checkups at An Nur versus my old ob/gyn is like night and day especially in terms of the waiting period before you can see the doctor.

On my first checkup, I had no choice but the bring along the girls with me. Oh boy, what a big mistake that was. With so many people packed inside the clinic awaiting for their turn, it was really unpractical for mothers to bring their children along during their checkups at this clinic. Strictly from my personal view though. It wasn't easy for me with my girls that day.

But my girls are used to my old ob/gyn's way where they can see the baby each time the doctor scanned on my tummy. They like to be involved in knowing what their little sister is doing. They like to feel included. They get excited each time they hold the scanned printout of the baby. I remember Dr Chang had to print out 2 copies...one for Auni and another for Aila. Unfortunately, without their daddy tagging along this time, mommy will have to go for checkups alone from now on.

So according to the doctor, the progress of my 33wks of pregnancy is so far so good. Physically, I only gained 11.5kg in total. I am at 68.5kg now. The baby weighing at 1.9kg now. People commented that my tummy is not that big. I think it looks just the same as when I was carrying Auni and Aila before although I gained so much weight while carrying Auni that it reached 80kg at the end of my pregnancy. I just don't look in the mirror much nowadays anyway....hehehe.

Emotionally, I am anxious and pretty nervous about the BIG DAY itself. I tend to get easily agitated, short tempered or impatient whichever you want to call it. Yes, my temper is really shooting off the roof nowadays. It is more evident in this pregnancy compared to my previous 2.

Auni said so last night..."Mommy, what are you angry about?". Smart girl. I replied, "YOU!!". Blame it on the hormones, I suppose. Right?

Till the next checkup, hope that everything will progress as accordingly. Smooth sailing.....insyaAllah.

Let's rewind, shall we......

2011-01-05T15:20:00.040+08:00

All along the month of December 2010, my brain keep thinking of the stories that I want to share in this blog but can't. Let's admit it....when you start a blog, no matter whether you are a daily blogger or a once-a-while blogger like me, your brain will most likely think in such a way that every event that happened can lead to a potential story. Some people post entries out of no particular story at all....but it works!

So now, I am in my rewind mode! Please bare with me cause this can be long winded, indeed......

It all started end November 2010 when we took a quick trip back to our small town to oversee a group of movers at our old house. I call it our "Small Town Moving Day!" The movers from Amove Resources took almost one whole day to pack and move out all our belongings before making their trip to KL that night.

On the same day too, we got a call from a lady asking us whether we wanted to rent out our house because she & her family are looking for a place in the same neighbourhood. She must have noticed the big yellow truck parked in front of the house. Though honestly, we were unprepared to rent out our house as yet or so soon for that matter, we ended up renting the place to her anyway.

After much discussions went back and forth between landlord & tenants, thanks to the help of my sister & brother-in-law, our old house is now in the care of our tenants Kak Nor & her family. We can only pray that Kak Nor will take good care of our house....as I sure miss my kitchen cabinets and all! Sob...sob....sob...

We only made an overnight trip back to our small town. Imagine the rush to get things done. But the girls really enjoyed the trip as we stayed at my sister's place and they got the chance to play with their best cousins - Danial & Danilia. Even my parents dropped by from Alor Setar to join the crowd. The more the merrier, kan....especially when my sister cooked delicious lauk-lauk for lunch even though I know that she hates to cook for large group of people nowadays. Big thanks, sis. Much appreciated. When you come to my place, kita order saja.......

Our "Big City Moving Day" finally arrived. Thank goodness the movers did such a great job that day. They unpacked all the big items and placed them accordingly to where I want them to be. Easy breezy. The hard work came soon after they left us with all the smaller items such as clothings, toys, kitchen stuffs etc...etc...that we need to organized ourselves. That was the hard part of moving.

But Ujang of course pulled through. He was determined to get things organized within 2 weeks and he did it. Superb job, my dearie. He came through for us all. Of course with yours truly unable to lift heavy objects/things or be of much help except to point her finger here and there along with a long list of instructions! I like....

Things went on as normal after the big move. We like living in Bangi. We like the area, the community, the ease of finding good places to eat and that everything that we need is within a short distance from the house. So far so good. The only bummer is the fact that I was at home with the girls without the ability to log in to the net for the whole month. If TM or the 2 other useless broadband that we had was able to rectify my dilemma, things would be SUPER DUPER!!

Ok..ok...I shall stop about the internet dilemma already. I know I am repeating myself again and again. Can't help it, I suppose. I'm angry!!!!!

In a nutshell, so many memories and so many good things occurred to us since we moved. As December being a month of school holidays, a lot of our family members and friends from far away were able to drop by at our new place. What can I say other than mi casa es su casa. Most welcome, anytime....

Auni's First Day of School

2011-01-04T11:48:00.007+08:00

Folks, I am back. December went by without us having any internet connection even though we had subscribed to 2 broadband services...both turn out to be useless in this area. Now, even when my internet dilemma still pending......(note to TM : please laaa do your work!!!! How long do we have to suffer for your lack of service niiiiiii), I am glad that I got the opportunity to pen this down coz today is an important day for my darling Auni.

It's her 1st day of school. Brand new school in this town that we've recently moved to. She woke up early and got ready without much fuss. I guess because she's used to it kot. Her last day in her old school was last October. With 2 months of rest...or holidaying, she looks like she's ready to face the day this morning.

So baby, hope you had a great day at school today....and many more to come. We love you!

PS: This mommy survived 1 month without logging into the web...but nearly lost her mind though.....

Aila will go crazy over this......Ola Dora!

2010-11-24T18:00:00.002+08:00

I saw this on BookXcess FB page and I immediately know that my little girl would love this. Aila would flip out if she can get hold on this - Dora's World series which consists of 18 books all together. For the price of RM29.90, it is definitely a good deal. Worth buying especially if you have a Dora-fanatic in the house like I do. Yup, she sure loves her Dora!

Photo: BookXcess new arrivals for November 2010.

Aila developed her love for Dora a while back. Daily at 9am, she would be ready in front of the TV and demand for her Dora which airs on Nick. She even demand for a Dora backpack if she is to go to school - which I plan to enroll her next year when she turns 3.

While big sister Auni grew up watching Barney as her favourite show on TV when she turns 2, Aila tune to Dora instead. She could easily count 1 to 10 in Spanish even before knowing to count in BM! Now....this proof to show that you watch way too much of Dora, young lady!

And because I love you with all my heart, I made this entry just as a BIG HINT especially to Daddy, so that he can take us to BookXcess pretty soon and grab this super cool Dora's World series especially for you.

Note to Daddy: Jangan buat-buat tak faham pulak ye.......

Moral of the story: Next time, bring your camera!!!

2010-11-23T11:47:00.018+08:00

Last Saturday was a back breaking day for us. Early that morning we headed off to BBB to checkout the new house that we are going to move into. Initial plan was just to spruce it up a bit before the big moving day end of this month. Arghhhh....moving lagi. Letih dah oiiii....

We met with the house owners around 10.30am. After a quick chitchat, the lovely couple handed us the house key and make their way home. We immediately roll up our sleeves and get down to business. Remember our initial plan to just spruce up the place.......well, it turn out to be a full blown house cleaning top to bottom kind of thing. I helped Ujang a bit with the master bedroom and the master bath. Then I soon realized that my back ached soo bad and it was time for me to stop and rest. Once the floor was dried, I place a small tikar on the floor and make myself comfortable while watching the girls' antics of silly songs & dance.

I don't know where Ujang got his superpower strength that day. Don't ask me where he got it from....I haven't a clue. He managed to clean up the house top to bottom all by himself. I guess when he put his mind to it, Ujang Boleh!!! hahaha....way to go, honey.

We departed after Asar that evening. With both girls sound asleep in the car, we did not have any specific plans in mind as to where to go next. I thought that with all the cleaning, scrubbing, washing and mopping that he did, surely Ujang would want to go straight home and rest. But boy was I wrong.

We headed to Shah Alam instead with the intention of going to i-City later that night. Something spontaneous. Something unplanned. Impromptu. Unscripted. You get the picture....

As it was still early to go to i-City, we decided to check out some of the old places where we used to hang out...like section 2 & section 15 in Shah Alam. You see, back in the day when we were younger....much younger, both Ujang and I used to live & study in Shah Alam. Section 15 for him and the main campus for yours truly. We have not been there since our graduation year way back in 1996.

Imagine the change. Imagine the difference. Imagine the shocked look on our faces. My jaw literally dropped. I was amazed. It sure brings back lots of memories. Mind you, way back then the only hip and happening place in Shah Alam for us students was Kompleks PKNS. Now they have SACC Mall, a big McD in section 2 and all the works. Now that's what I call - PROGRESS!

After our Maghrib prayers at the beautiful Blue Mosque, we drove to i-City. The girls loved it. They simply jumped up and down with joy in the car all eager to see the lights. And with their energy restored during their quick nap in the car, both girls were ready to explore. Luckly Ujang still had his reserved energy to entertain the girls while this pregnant mommy was feeling tired to the bone. I was beat. I was so tired all the way....dragging my feet one step at a time. Letih...letih. Seribu kali letih.

But at the end of it all, seeing the happy smiles on the girls faces was really worth it.

My only regret : I did not bring my camera with me. Sedih.... It was an unplanned trip, remember. I should have just haul my camera regardless. When you have a dslr camera that would be perfect to take beautiful pictures of the light displays BUT you just leave the so-call camera sitting there in your room collecting dust....apakah maknanya tuuu...??? Sedih. Sedih....Sangat sedih.... We had to rely on Ujang's phone to snap some pictures of the girls and such bad shots, pulak tu.

A lesson learned, indeed!

To checkout the location of iCity, click HERE.

Books....books galore......

2010-11-18T17:03:00.011+08:00

I have been meaning to write about this on the day of the sale itself. But as usual, other things got in the way. It was the best book fair that I have ever been to. EVER! Honestly, I dream about going there again and again but we live too far from the venue in Seri Kembangan and I had to be satisfied with just a few hours of book shopping on the second day of the sale. But pure heaven, I tell you....!!!

I got to know about Big Bad Wolf book fair from my cousin Lily. She said it's one of the best thing about living in the valley is that you got to go to events like this. The BBW book fair starts from 12-17 Nov10. And what an event it was. All books were on sale up to 70%-90% of retail prices. I managed to persuade Ujang to take us there....myself and the girls last Saturday evening. The sale & selections were amazing. Soo many books to choose from...I just went bonkers! Literally.

First let me tell you a bit about the fair. So many people packed in the big hall scrambling & grabbing for books. They came with bags. They came with carts and they even came with boxes. There are many selections from fiction, non fiction, children books....you name it. The books cost around RM3-RM5 for childrens books (hardcover lagi....) and for fiction the cost per book is mostly around RM8. The non fiction is around RM10-12. Sooo cheap it's ridiculous.

With only a few hours to spare inside the venue (coz this pregnant lady letih berdiri lama2 even though she love books sooo very much...), we managed to get 32 books billed at only RM216.00. That's RM6.75 per book. Imagine that! I got 16 paperback novels for myself....HAPPY!!!. 14 books for the girls and even Ujang got himself 2 books. Impressive gile...coz he only read the sports section on the daily news!! Bukan niat untuk kutuk suami...ini kenyataan, babe.

The only bummer is that I did not have the energy to spend more time there. I spend most on my time browsing all those fiction books and I got stucked there for a long while. If only I got extra energy that day, I would love to cover the non-fiction areas as well. I didn't even go there...boooo hooo. I would love to grab some of those parenting and cook books available on sale. That's ok. Next year I'll be ready.

So if you missed BBW book fair this time, do take the opportunity to go there next year. It is really worth it. Really. Plus, I heard from my cousin of course, that on the last day of sale, all books were on sale for RM5 only. Arghhhhh.....ruginya tak pergi lagi!

For more info on Big Bad Wolf Books, click here. You can also checkout their page in facebook.

And if you wanna read my cousin going gaga on the 1st day of sale, read her post on her blog here.

Salam Aidil Adha

2010-11-17T08:53:00.008+08:00

I would like to this opportunity on this glorious morning to wish all family and friends...Salam Aidil Adha. May Allah bless us all with good health and happiness always.

To family and friends currently performing Haj, all of us here sentiasa doakan semoga dapat melaksanakan ibadah haji dengan baik, mendapat haji yang mabrur dan dipermudahkan Allah. Amin....

PS: This mommy is craving some lemang today!!!

Banjir Oh Banjir....

2010-11-12T10:00:00.000+08:00

People say it was the worst flood ever. People say that they never imagine their houses/property be impacted like this. People say so many things about the recent flood in Kedah but to those that had experienced & are still experiencing the hardship due to the flood....my heart goes out to them.

Below are some of the pictures of my parent's house and the surrounding area in Taman Uda Alor Setar where they live. All these pictures are courtasy of my dad. According to him, the flood water rose until his thigh high! With no fresh water and electricity, it was sure a tough time for him during this time. Lucky for my mom, she was with us at the time when the flood worsen & only return home a few days ago to see the aftermath.

This is the view of the front lawn covered with water. It is practically a big massive swimming pool. This is the view from the outside road leading to the house. Water, water everywhere. Never before have I seen such situation happened in this taman perumahan. Normally you would hear other areas in Kedah impacted by flood especially during monsoon season but never in Alor Setar. This is the first such incident.

The view from a primary school nearby....The news mentioned of a second wave of floods that could hit Kedah, Perlis and Kelantan. I hope that all agencies regardless whether coming from the state government or federal would be ready to assist if heavy rain persisted. No need for finger pointing but work together instead!

This is my dad looking sadly at one of his favourite car. One of his passion is collecting antique cars. During the flood last week, he managed to save one car & park it on dry land, left my mom's car stranded along a road leading to his work place while hitchhiked on a lorry to continue his journey to work and sadly without much choice, leaving his 2 antique cars drowning.....huhuhu. I reckon his favourite mechanic Ah Tee will be a very happy man pretty soon with all the business coming his way from our dear Pak Shuib!

We're here but we're not there yet.....

2010-11-11T15:53:00.002+08:00

It's raining outside....the girls are taking their evening naps while I am just staring at this pc screen trying to gather my thoughts. Today marked our 2 weeks anniversary of moving from our small town. Oh boy....how I miss my small town. The familiarity of it all, how I miss it.

The first week was tough just because we're only getting used to our new surroundings. New place. New way of living. As a temporary step, we are staying at my brother's place at one end of Selangor while eyeing to settle down at another end of Selangor. My brother & his family are currently away in Wageningen on their big adventure. So their house is available as our temporary stop.

The girls....especially Aila, in the begining thought that we are just here on our vacation. She even asked us about going home, meaning back to our house in our beloved small town. Auni is adapting well. Ujang however has started his new work smack in the middle of KL and he is LOVING it. As for this mommy, it depends on the days I suppose. Some days are ok, some not. I thank God for the time when my mom was here to accompany us during our 1st week here. She's now back in Alor Setar and how we all miss her so.

When I say we are here but we're not there yet - means that there will be another major move this coming weeks before we finally arrive & settle down at the house/town that we want to stay. After that major move, we'll be staying put for a while before our next plan of owning a house in this big city. That's the future plan that is. However that plan will just have to wait a while cause with the recent ruling from Bank Negara that caps the home loan to control the property speculation, owning a 3rd house would mean that we have to fork up 30% cash for the downpayment instead of the previous 10%. That's ok....still got time to save up for the next one.

As for this 2nd week, we have sort of set a new routine. Our days are much easier. I am excited to see what it's like when we move to our next house soon. Both of us agreed to settle down in BB Bangi and we'll see how it goes. Hopefully all plans will go on accordingly. Our only hiccup now is when dealing with our movers. Arghhhh, that company is really testing on our patience. Cakap tak serupa bikin....

Ok...enough of me blabbering, till next time folks. I wish everyone good health & best wishes always.

To read on the property ruling, click HERE.

The big day is here..................

2010-10-28T07:49:00.003+08:00

Photo: Google lah...

Our BIG DAY has finally arrived. The girls are still asleep but both Ujang and I are wide awake doing last minute clean up and ensuring that everything is in order. Wouldn't want to leave anything important behind....bukannya dekan nak patah balik if terlupa, right?

This morning, I pray for strength cause I really need it! I pray for everything will go on smoothly as planned. I pray that Allah will guide us and insyaAllah ease all our burden on this moving day. I pray...I pray...I pray....

Wish us luck. Sad to say goodbye to my small town. Almost 6 years here...with so many family and friends left behind. So many memories. So many good places to eat....clearly I am thinking with my stomach on this lovely morning. Hehehehehe....

We didn't think that we're gonna be like other folks....hidup diperantauan. But I guess we're joining the club soon. So....I bid you goodbye my small town.....and I can't believe that McD is finally opening here...cisss! punyalah lama tunggu, dah nak pindah baru nak dibukak!

PS: This mommy will take a break from blogging after this entry until her moving bits has finalized & settle down. Take care everyone.....See you in the big city!!!

October is one crazy month...........

2010-10-27T16:29:00.002+08:00

What a month....what a month. October has been and still is a crazy month for us. Our big move is just around the corner and still so much to do with so little time. I for one, am very tireeedddd!!! Letih wooooooo.

Although lots of craziness on this month, we're very fortunate to have family and friends that are willing and ever so ready to lend a helping hand. I would like to take this opportunity to say THANK YOU to all of you (family and friends - you know who you are....) for all your help, kindness & support that you have given us in our time of needs. May Allah bless you all.

Big THANKS and SHOUT OUT goes to the following:

1. My parents - for their continuous support. Each time they came and visit, they quickly roll up their sleeve & get down to business. The business of helping us, that is. Thanks for the initial push to get us to start packing....finally. For volunteering to drive our car all the way to the big city. For always checking up on us from time to time to see if we still need further help or assistance. We love you.

2. Kak Nah & family and Puan Salina/Pak Long for the delicious makan-makan at your place.

3. Dr Shah & Dr Kharnan for giving such great service & care to our girls.

4. Dr Chang...the best ob/gyn ever! I'll take note of all your advises. But will surely miss taking to you about all my aches & pains....hehehe.

5. MakSu & PakSu for the yummy ikan siakap dinner recently. Plus for knowing just the right time to call us for dinner whenever we are hungry for food! Must be great instinct or perhaps you could hear our stomach grumbling.....

6. My galpals...Ani & Kak Pah. Thank you for the great day last Saturday...We really had such a blast. A great time. Hope we can do it again in the future. Love the food, love the company. Perfect!

7. Soh Ling and family. Thank you for showing us around your beautiful house. Dinner was delicious. Please call us once you are in KL so that we can go makan-makan again....:))

8. Pak Teh, Mak Teh and Mak Chaq...thank you for supporting your nephew in his decision to move. Thank you for all your prayers. I know he will make the family proud some day......

9. To all other friends who called from time to time giving us their support....thank you! Thank you! Thank you.

Wow....with this much support, sure feels like we're moving overseas and not just to KL...hehehe. Till next time.....I'll see you when I'll see you.

ps: Is not looking forward to moving actually. Just want to get this done and over with.....dah letihhhhhhhhhhhhh!!

What an experience with AirAsia.....humphhhh!!

2010-09-29T16:45:00.014+08:00

IMPORTANT NOTE: This is just for sharing purposes of a lesson learned. This entry is not intended to influence anyone when choosing to fly via any low cost carrier. We've travelled via AirAsia before without any incident & may choose to use the carrier again if the right opportunity arise. I guess what happened below to my brother's family is just one of those unfortunate cases.

30th August 2010 was the date my brother's family had anticipated and eagerly awaiting for a long while. That day the whole family were to fly off to London Stansted airport before catching their connecting flight to Amsterdam. Their final destination is Wageningen, a small town famous for Wageningen University that specializes in life sciences. My sister-in-law is pursuing her final year of PhD there. Holland, here we come......

That morning you can certainly feel the excitement in the air. Everybody was so excited eventhough some of us had lack of sleep. The day has finally arrived. Soon right after our subuh prayers, the whole clan (with exception of my younger brother who has to work that day), convoyed to LCCT. 3 cars full of baggages hit the road early that morning thinking that everything will go on according to plan once we reached the airport. Their flight was scheduled at around 12noon. Ample of time, we said. What's there to worry about?

Flight tickets, ada. Passports, ada. Baggages, ada. The 3 boys, ada. Their parents, pun ada.

Once we arrived, my brother quickly checked the flight schedule on one of the monitors. To his surprise, no information was available for their flight from KL-London Stansted. He started to get worried. Upon asking the agent, they were told that the flight information will be available later on at 9am.

So 9am came and went, no flight info. They checked again. Totally shocked and dumbfounded, they found out later that their supposed flight at 12noon was PULL-IN to 9am that morning. Imagine the look on everyone there. My parents, my sister & family, myself & family....plus my dear brother & his clan all dissapointed, angry, utter disbelief and macam-macam lah lagi perasaan yang bergelora masa tu..... It's hard to explain what everyone felt that day.....and it happened on the month of Ramadhan so it was a big challenge for us to control our feelings towards AirAsia's customer service.

Frankly, ever heard of an airline pulling in the flights to sooner rather than later? Normally we heard news of flights being delayed not expedited!

When my sister-in-law approached the agent again, there were at least 5 other couples that missed their flights & with the same predicament. There must be something wrong somewhere with their service when all 5 other couples did not received any prior notification of the flight change from AirAsia. One passenger, a foreign tourist, (if not mistaken, I'm saying this cause I was not there personally standing next to him, my sis-in-law was) had complained to the agent that he did not received any notification beforehand of the flight change and even ended up opening his laptop just to show whether there was any email received from AirAsia. He too missed his connecting flights & in the same boat as my brother's family.

What an event. The agent promises that all the passengers affected are able get on the next flight to London that night. All they need to do is just to line up at the counter by 7pm in order to get priority seating.

But this did not happened either. By 7pm that night, they were told by another agent that no such treatment will be given to them. Priority is only given to the passengers of that particular flight. Only if there are seats available, would they be entertained. Imagine that!!! My brother is traveling in a group of 5. They are facing the possibility of being split-up in the next flight just because the seats are based on availability. Furthermore, all their prepaid meals and entertainment plans are all gone.

To cut the story short, they had to go through a whole lot of DRAMA before being able to get on another flight to London that night. And get this....that particular flight was DELAYED! Figures...

Plus, they need to fork up extra money to book another flight from Stansted to Amsterdam as they surely would miss their connecting flights anyway. Lousy deal if you ask me.

By midnight, I was already in bed and so tired from the ordeal that I didn't even know whether they made it on the flight or not. I only got to know that they made it safely to Wageningen when they send a text message to my sister late the following day.

Morale of the story:
1. Double check or triple check with the airlines on their flight schedule even if you did not receive any notification of flight change one day before you travel. You'll just never know!
2. For those in my family thinking of visiting abang and kak mai in Wageningen, just book a direct flight instead!
3. That which does not kill us makes us stronger. Don't you think so?

Sad to say goodbye to our good neighbours...........

2010-09-28T19:15:00.013+08:00

Last Sunday, we were invited to my neighbour's open house. It was a nice gathering....a good time to talk to them face to face as we did not get the chance to tell our neighbours properly about our plans of moving. Imagine the shocked look Ujang received from Kak Rose & hubby when he convey the news to them that morning. What?? Moving??

Yupp, moving. Who in their right mind would move to another state after they live & settle down in one place for a long time? We lived in this small town for more than 6 years and yet we are moving. Crazy huh? Isn't it a norm for those who migrate to KL to work, dream of eventually moving back to their homestate or hometown as they get older. But for us the opposite....pulak.

So why the big move?
a) the opportunity given is just too great to pass.
b) the girls are still young so it's better now than later on when they start their primary schooling.
c) or perhaps, we're a little bit crazy....hehehe. Life's a gamble... take the plunge, so to speak.

When we bought this house back in 2000 and eventually moved in early 2005, we knew that we're lucky to have good neighbours. My neighbours Kak Rose on the left, Kak Nah on the right and Kak Ani at the back are very nice and friendly ladies. They are nice people with nice families. It's always lovely to talk to them and even lovelier being their neighbour all these while.

It is sad to say goodbye to our good neighbours. Will we have the chance to have good neighbours in the future? To me having good neighbours is really essential. Everybody needs good neighbours, right...

Photo: Google lah...

Here's some simple tips for being a good neighbour:
1. Be social
2. Be understanding
3. Don't act nosey
4. Communicate with your neighbour
5. Respect their privacy
Source: click here.

Currently, I am blessed to have neighbours with all the qualities above. Let's just hope that in future, we'll be just as blessed.

PS: Gonna miss living in the same taman with my sister too. When I moved, I can no longer drop by at her place unannounced just because I am hungry and in need of food....I can no longer just drop the girls at her place so that I can regain my sanity for a few minutes....& no longer can ask her 1001 favours just because she is my sister and we live close by. Huhuhu.....sooooo sad!

I go nuts when they scream and shout!

2010-09-23T17:18:00.006+08:00

Photo: Google lah..

One girl is 4 years & 7 months old and another girl is 2 years & 3 months old. They are sisters. They love each other. But lately they are also at each others throats! They fight, they scream, they push, they shout and they argue almost daily. Regardless of how many toys they owned at home...boxes and boxes of toys but still they tend to fight over the same thing.

Case and point. When Auni is playing with something, Aila would surely wants to grab the toy away from her sister. Likewise, when Aila is playing with her toys, that particular moment is the same time when Auni wants it too. They fight, fight, fight....and mommy is going nuts!!!

I noticed this sibling rivalry occurred a few months back. Before this, they used to be able to play together nicely.... Peacefully. Happily......In fact, Auni would often include her little sister in anything that she wants to do. But gone were the days of those peaceful playtime between the sisters. Now, it's fight, fight, fight...war, war, war...scream, scream, scream and constant yelling. Tears would soon follow.....too.

I know that Aila is at this stage where she is showing her independence. She is going through her terrible twos stage. She thinks she is independent and smart enough to rule her big sister. What Aila wants, Aila wants it NOW! That girl is really showing her bossy side....

Auni on the other hand, just get so frustrated that she has to give in to her sister. I guess she feels unfair that each time she needs to mengalah towards her sister just because she is older. I can sense that she is fed up with it. She often says..."Auni tak love adik, Auni love baby in the tummy saja".... not knowing that later on the new baby in the tummy too will act like Aila when she turns 2. Kesian kakak....

Photo : The girls with their daddy during Raya......

Sabar saja Auni....Just like what mommy is doing right now...banyak-banyak bersabar. Aila is growing up and she'll pass her phase soon enough. You'll see. Hopefully one day things will be better. Both will learn to give and take...share amoung eachother and love one another.....you are sisters anyway. Bonded for life. Remember that my sweet.

PS: Mommy is just tired of being the referee.......................huhuhu...

From small town to the big city..............

2010-09-21T14:23:00.019+08:00

When you dream of something better..Something that you really wanted. Then you work hard for it and you constantly pray for it. Then one day Allah answered your prayers....when that happened and your decision thereafter will cause great impact to your love ones, what would you do? Will you take it as a good sign, grab the opportunity and make it work? Or will you suddenly have cold feet or ignore it entirely?

Both Ujang and I had lengthy discussions.....back and forth...again and again about one big opportunity that landed on us recently. We received a great news late August which we didn't expected since we never thought that the good news will come our way.....after so long of waiting. Shocked by the news......we accept it as a gift from Allah during the month of Ramadhan.

Rezeki....orang kata jangan ditolak..... So the decision for us to move from our small town to the big city is now mandatory. No ifs or buts about it. Kena pindah demi tuntutan kerja......

So you can imagine my stress level right now. Super high.... House moving....especially a big move to another state is very daunting. The last time I lived in the big city was during my days as a student in Shah Alam back in 1993-1996. The last major relocation that we had was when we came back from the States back in 2004. That time however...we didn't have to pack anything. The company movers did it all for it. Senang cerita......But this time, the bulk of the task falls on the both of us. No choice about it. The girls are not helpful at all when it comes to helping mommy and daddy packing. They like to make things messy.....adalah.

So in the near future, we will say goodbye to our small town and adjust to the way of life in the big city. It is going to be a super challenging time for all of us. One I hope that we can deal with it with ease as well as pray for continuous guidance from Allah. InsyaAllah....

Photo: Google.... lah.

Super bliss in the 2nd trimester......

2010-09-20T16:00:00.006+08:00

Cepatnya masa berlalu...dah masuk 2nd trimester.....

Just before raya, I went for my 4th month checkup. Good news is that the baby is progressing as it should be. Doing well, alhamdulillah. A better news to share is that the mommy.....yours truly of course, is doing much much better in her 2nd trimester. Good riddance all the icky yucky feelings associated with the 1st trimester of pregnancy. Good bye to nausea....so long fatigue, bloating, flatulence, headaches and all the hormones acting up and causing haywire in my body.

And welcome 2nd trimester. Yippie...So far so good. In fact, I felt lucky to be able to enjoy the hari raya and eat as much as I want to without feeling any discomfort afterwards. Syukur sangat...... Let's hope and pray that this smooth sailing phase will last all the way till delivery.

Photo: Google lah..

Ohh....and the doctor says that we may not need to buy any new baby cloths after all... So looks like ujang will be outnumbered again in this household. Kesian pakcik tuuuu.....

PS: This mommy would like to wish all her lovely blogger friends a Happy Hari Raya.....walaupun belated but better late than never. Maaf zahir batin......

Blog....I didn't mean to abandon you for so long.

2010-08-16T11:49:00.004+08:00

Dear Blog,

First and foremost I want to say I am SORRY. I didn't mean to abandon you for so long. Truly, it was not my intention to do so. It's been weeks since the last I logged in and it's been weeks since my last entry. I so dearly miss you blog. Honestly I do.

Blog, I know...I know you are going to ask me, if I miss you so then why haven't I been updating any entry since last month? What can I say.....I really don't want to lay down any lame excuses or reasons to you. All I can say is that I wish I can update new entries daily......though I couldn't.

But regardless of whatever happen, please blog..... know that I miss you. I miss crafting new things and typing new stories. Hope we can be just like we used to before.......pretty soon.

Till then, I want to say again that I miss you blog..... miss you so much.

PS: This mommy has just recovered from her 2nd flu cycle within this 3mths....all thanks to Ujang for sharing with her the virus!!! Hate it!!!! I would like to wish all friends....Selamat Berpuasa and take care. Miss you tooo...

He's a little bit older today but as wonderful as ever...

2010-07-28T08:57:00.008+08:00

36 years ago on this date a baby boy was born to a loving couple in Penang. He is the last baby in the family of 4 boys. As boys being boys, he was a mischievious child from early on but everyone doted on him. Growing up the boy was not expose to the life of luxury. Money was hard to come by back then for the family. So even at an early age, he knew that through education and by working hard that he will be able to achieve things in life.

During his primary years, he & his brothers would help their mother to peel bags and bags of potatos to make her famous cucur badak and they would sell kuih around their house in Sungai Layar, Sg Petani Kedah. His mother even told me stories of how he would wash dishes at a restaurant in order to earn extra money and he was still so very young at that time. I think he was only in his standard 2 or 3. She said as a child he was a self-starter & a self motivator from early on. His parents never force him to study but study he did. I know back then when his mother told me stories of his early childhood that she was proud of him. I can sense it from her. Any mother would.....

During his secondary years, he would picked up other odd jobs along the way as well. But through out all this, he never neglected his studies. When he received good results in his SPM and was able to further his studies overseas, his made his parents proud. It was very unfortunate when his father passed away before he completed his studies in the States. As it happened during his exam week, they hold off from telling him the news until he completed his examination. I cannot imagine the sheer magnitude of how he felt soon after the news came. But as they say......life goes on for the living.

Today on his 36th birthday, looking back at what he has achieved so far, I can truly say that he has achieved so much in his life. Though, I do know he has so many other dreams & aspirations to fulfill & conquer......I wholeheartedly believe that he can do it and he will do it.

I am writing this down not because he is my husband or that I am bias towards him just because he is my husband. I am penning this down in hoping that one fine day when the girls are able to read this, they will know how great and magnificant their daddy was when he was younger and how he is still magnificant and wonderful as he is today. I want the girls to be proud of their daddy just as I am of him now and always.

Happy 36th Birthday, my sweet. We love you.........May all your dreams and wishes comes true.

I owe it all to him..........

2010-07-19T13:20:00.005+08:00

"Thank You" is such a simple word but sometimes we don't say it often enough to our love ones. I noticed that about myself too. I am writing this entry after a long absence as a token of my ever lasting love to a man who has sacrifice significantly of his time, energy and a little bit of his sanity to care for all his babies these past few weeks.

Mr Ujang.... I thank you from the bottom of my heart for taking care of us and for being our rock to shoulder all of it beautifully. You are amazing and you are doing such a great job. I know it is not easy for you to do it all....juggling work, study, being Mr Mom, housework a.k.a Mr Maid and caring for us babies. I bet it's not easy for you to care for your 35 year old baby as well. For this, I thank you.

I read somewhere in an article about nausea & vomiting in pregnancy (NVP) and it said that around 80% of sufferers will no longer have this condition around 12th week of pregnancy. I still have a few more weeks to go then....but I dream of having a normal day so badly. Trust me, to have NVP morning, noon and night is just not fun!

So Ujang, all I can say is hang in there. We've been through this before and we can get through it again......love you.

PS: This mommy would like to say a big THANK YOU to all that has written wonderful words of encouragement, support and well wishes in her past entry. Though I am still uncertain whether I can start blogging on a daily basis again but know that it warms my heart to have friends who cares. You guys are wonderful!

Have a great week everyone......

Let's get the cat out of the bag....

2010-07-06T08:42:00.003+08:00

I am back. Although not 100% up to my normal health but much better than the last 2 weeks of misery. The girls and I had flu, fever, cough and the whole not-so-nice things....but somehow I end up having it worse than they did.....which is always the case. When my kids got sick, I got the worst end. So much for my immune system eh.....

But let's get the cat out of the bag on why it took me longer to recover than the girls, shall we. You see, I found out that I am PREGNANT!! Taaaadaaaaa........ Yup, yup....3rd one on the way. Caught me by surprise actually but a nice surprise....it's still at the early phase though.

So that's why when the girls got sick, I had it worst cause I've been having morning sickness along with it too. It is actually not just morning sickness. It's morning, noon and night. It's nausea all day long. It's vomitting 3-4 times a day too. Fatigue...fatigue...fatigue too. Heartburn galore. Not fun at all, I must say. I can't wait till this phase goes away.........really looking forward to nausea free day.

Folks, hopefully I'll be back in business blogging full time from today onwards. There are so many things happened these past few weeks....but I didn't have the energy to blog about it. I miss blogging and blog hopping. May Allah give me the strength.......cause I really need it desperately.....huhuhu......

Till next time, take care. Miss you...........................

For your happiness always.....

2010-06-18T07:27:00.004+08:00

Happy Friday folks. It's been a week since my last entry and boy.....how I miss blogging sooooo much. Will definitely be back in full force by next week......yeppieee.

Last Wednesday on 16June2010, little Aila turns 2 years old. I just can't believe it.....already 2 years old. She is the light of my life and such a joy to be with. A sweetheart.....

To the one that always has a bright smile on her face each and everyday, the one that giggles whenever she got pinched instead of crying, the one that knows no fear of her mommy's anger, the one that likes to make a mess of her toys and never clean up, the one that easily say "Lolly Mommy...." her word for sorry each time she did something wrong, actually....the one that says so many silly things....the clown in the house that makes us laugh with her ever so wonderful antics....

I'll pray for your happiness always, my baby. May you grow up to be the best that you can be and never doubt your mother's love & support for you....

I love you, Aila. Happy 2nd birthday.

I am proud to be a SAHM. So what's wrong with that?

2010-06-11T00:55:00.019+08:00

Strictly ramblings again...and slightly annoyed. Happy friday folks. My last entry before my days turn crazy. This is just my personal thoughts on something that I strongly believe and is close to my heart.

Honestly, I think I would be one rich lady if I received RM1 for everytime someone say "Must be nice to be able to sit around the house all day" or "Ooooo Ujang dah kaya takpa lah takyah kerja....". Can we please stop generalizing a stay at home mom already? I have a job too, you know.

Being a SAHM is a personal choice. It may not be the right choice for everybody. When I made mine, I have the full support from Ujang. That is important because you change your lifestyle from a dual income family to a family with single income. Of course, we do have to make some financial adjustments, living within our budget and prioritize on what's important & what's necessary and continue to live within our means. Alhamdulillah....so far so good. The key is to plan wisely...even dual income families need to practise good financial management skills, right.

What pains me is the generalization of a stay-at-home mom made by others. It'll be good if people just never judge another on face value alone. Never easily judge other people's choices. This is because you never know that person's side of the story. So be kind. Stop generalizing it. Stay at home moms or working moms are all the same. Bottom line, we all want to do things that'll make a difference in our family's life.

Being a great wife and a mom is my job right now. It's my honour to be the very best at it that I can be. Proud of it too....

PS: If my status change from SAHM to a working mom in the near future, I'll be proud of that too! With a peace sign, I end my ramblings....till next week.

All photos courtesy of Google lah...

Have a great weekend, friends....

So much to do, so little time.....

2010-06-10T16:20:00.019+08:00

Strictly ramblings..........

June. June. What's wrong with you, June? I didn't know that on your month things are going to be super crazy. So many things going on all at once. What are you trying to do to me, June. You managed to suck all my energy and today is not even mid month, June. Booo.... hooo..... hooo....

This mommy miss the days when she can just sit down, sip coffee and blog hop till her heart's content. No longer can do that, lately. School holiday is still on and the girls are fighting each other for toys almost on a daily basis. I still can't plan any at home activities for Auni apart from simple reading and watching tv....huhuhu.

With 5 more weddings to go......our weekends are packed too. This Saturday, my cousin Lily and her family will be staying over our house for 2 nights....which this mommy simply cannot wait. The house is already spick and span ready for our guests of honor. Our niece is getting married this Sunday, so most of our family members in KL are coming down to Alor Setar for the wedding. No complaints in this department. Of course, I like having my best buddy with me...... if only later on the daddies promise to look after the kids while we mommies stay-up late at night and gossip!

Aila's 2nd birthday is coming up too and no preparation yet on her special day....ayoyoo...bad mommy! Father's day is around the corner too. Apalah nak bagi for this father's day nih? Pening...pening......

And today, I just found out that my dearest friend Zue who is one of "my sisters in the States" will be back in Malaysia for the holidays. Plans to meet eachother are in process....ooooh sooooo looking forward for this one too. Miss them dearly.

Ujang too has a few things going on this month all at the same time that both of us hardly have time to sit down and chit-chat lately. Luckly, he would check on me once a while on sms and my blog....hehehe...ain't that just funny? Or sad...maybe.....:P

So June, I am actually not mad at you. Just letting you know how I feel about you. Truthfully, I am HAPPY because with so many things going on...means that life is never boring. Bless to have the opportunities to meet up with friends and family.......

PS: There will be days when this mommy cannot post an entry. So will miss blog hopping and checkout the latest news of all blogger buddies, soon... Wishing everyone the best in life and good health always. Cheers......

Picture courtesy of Google laaa...

One dish wonder is my lifesaver....

2010-06-10T00:00:00.001+08:00

I love a one dish wonder or you might also call it as one dish meal. It is simply the best. A lifesaver especially when you don't have the time to cook multiple dishes for one night's meal with the family.

In this house especially on weeknights, one dish wonder is always the answer. It rules. Why? Because in this house....

1. Elaborate dishes are only on weekends.
2. It is simple to prepare, hassle-free and fast to cook. One dish meal means less pots and pans to clean...so easy cleanup afterwards.
3. I am not too crazy about cooking anyway...lazy, busy, tired, too many excuses...ladadi..ladada...
4. Only 2.5 people in this house will eat dinner daily.....Daddy, Mommy and Aila. Auni is my little miss picky eater, remember...
5. It is my lifesaver....especially during crunch time...

Crunch Time and Running for Cover
(Real life scene...and action!!! Kring...kring....)

Ujang: "Hampa, masak apa hari ni? Kami dah on the way nih. Lapaq la hari ni..tadi takdan nak makan lunch"...
Ica: "Errr...laaa tak tau lagi nak masak apa. Awat, hampa dah nak sampai ka?"
Ujang: "Haaa laa, dah nak masuk corner kat taman ni dah..."
Ica: "What??? Ok got to go. Bye..."
Dalam hati....alamak, awai pulak dia balik hari ni. Apa nak masak nii....? Haaa...mee sup la jawabnya....kira baguih laa tu, nasib baik bukan mee meggie!

For example, fried rice is such a versatile dish and makes a great one dish meal anytime of the day. Nasi goreng Cina, nasi goreng kampung, nasi goreng ikan masin, pattaya, USA.....the list is endless. I would sometime cook fried rice during lunch because it will only be for myself and the girls. You can mix all the ingredients together and make it into a complete meal. Carbs...IN. Protein....Check. Veggies......Okey dokey. All the goodness in one bite.

Noodle based recipes will make great one dish meals too. You can fry em or eat it with soup....easy to make and delicious too. Curry mee, fried bihun, kuey teow sup....all good and yummy. Same goes with all those pasta dishes and spaghettis......oooo now I am hungry!

When you are crunch for time, what's your favourite one dish meal to cook? Share em, please.

Perhaps we can all try it and expand our cooking repertoire......

Happy Cooking............

Infertility and Me : When anxiety hits...........

2010-06-09T01:05:00.005+08:00

Part 3

For some mothers, having anxiety over anything regarding your kids safety or wellbeing is quite normal. You worry about this, you worry about that. Your kids can't touch this or they can't eat or play with that. If you are familiar with this motherly anxiety, then I am of no exception. But personally for me, nothing compares to all my anxieties during pregnancy.

The day I found out that I was carrying Auni after our stint to conceive via IUI was successful, I landed on a hospital bed for a few days. (Click for Part 2).

You see, I was hit with muscle spasms due to insufficient hydration which resulted in the absent of certain minerals such as magnesium in my body on that fateful day. My face, both hands and legs contort & twisted into a strained position. The pain was indescribable.

Soon after I was discharged, I was hit with a major anxiety attack. Totally paranoid over everything. Fear of the unknown ruled in my mind. Feeling anxiety over things that could danger or harm the precious baby in me. So I stayed in bed all the time....and the four walls in my bedroom was my one and only space of living.

Personally, I acknowledged that because of my difficulty in conceiving leads to the over-anxiety in me. It heightens by the day. Maybe if I was able to conceive easily, the anxiety would be lesser and it would not rule me through out my pregnancy. I was only able to breathe a sigh of relief once I was in my 2nd trimester. Though the anxiety dwindled down but it did not totally go away......Plus, it does not help that I had the worst 1st trimester ever while carrying Auni!!

My point here is....please do not let anxiety during pregnancy rule you. If you feel like your emotions is out of the norm that may be triggered by anxiety, educate yourself and get available resources that can help you to cope or overcome it. Only then will you be able to enjoy your pregnancy to the fullest.

Good Facts to Know

1. Anxiety is a feeling of nervousness, apprehension, fear or worry. Some fear or worries are justified but severe anxiety can have serious impact on daily lives. A state of uneasiness and apprehension, about future uncertainties.

2. If you find that thoughts of your coming baby bring more fears and concerns than joy and happiness, you might be suffering from anxiety.

3. Rest as much as possible, surround yourself with family & friends support, eat healthy meals and avoid reading too many resources on what could go wrong during pregnancy are some of the ways that can help you overcome your anxiety during pregnancy.

Additional resource on anxiety in pregnancy, click here.

PS: Every pregnancy is different from one person to another. I am just sharing my journey and my thoughts with you. I hope it will bring benefit to someone out there......because you are not alone.

Penang Good Eats : Tajuddin Hussain Nasi Kandar

2010-06-08T13:41:00.041+08:00

Folks, everyone knows that Penang is a food haven. No doubt about that. Just name what you want to eat and surely you would be able to find it there. When I think of good eats in Penang, I think of many good food and places to go & eat. One that stands out is nasi kandar. Nasi kandar is so synonymous with Penang because the dish originates here.

So if you are in Penang and you are craving for the best nasi kandar in town, then head over to Restoran Tajuddin Hussain. It is simply the best....and I don't joke around when it comes to good food..hehehe.

I had my fair share of nasi kandar in Penang. I have tried several places and after a while, it all tends to taste the same. When Ujang mentioned this place to me...I was reluctant to go simply because it will probably be just the same as others. But he said that this one is different. He has been going there for a while now with some of his lunch buddies.

When he showed me the place from the outside on one of our trips to Penang, I thought to myself....."this place doesn't look like anything special....can the food really be THAT tasty as he claimed it to be?"

When I tried the food recently, the taste was out of this world. Their white rice is mildly flavoured so it just doesn't taste just like plane old white rice. The briyani was tasty too. What I like most is the gravy from kari kambing cincang (though I am not a mutton fan...) but the gravy was soo good. Their fried chicken was seasoned to perfection. Ayam masak merah was equally good. The herbs and spices used for the food in this restaurant is different from the other places that I have been to. Very delicious...and very good. Not too overwhelming....just delish!

At this restaurant, if you come to eat in, they will serve it for you. All you have to do is to tell them what you'll like to eat. No need to get up from your chair once you arrived, unless you have too.

As I went there with fellow family member and they are non-bloggers, once the food arrived, they attacked the food with frenzy. So no opportunity for me to take good shot of all the food on the table....huhuhu.

For true nasi kandar purists, the nasi kandar at Tajuddin Hussain is a must try.

Restaurant Tajuddin Hussein in Little India
49 Queen Street,
10200 Penang
Tel: (6)04-2625367

My arm about to fall off & I am at the bottom 3? Seriously??

2010-06-06T22:40:00.000+08:00

The Wahab’s clan is at it again. Wahab’s clan is Ujang’s arwah mother’s side of the family and they are all zany and silly bunch of people. The clan members love to plan get togethers that always involve BBQing something delish, organize fun family games, hold karaoke sessions, terjah-terjah other peoples’ houses in groups, arrange lucky draws & exchanging gifts is a must too - apart from other normal big family activites.

Smiley faces of the little ones. Kanak-kanak ceria!!!!

Most of the clan members resides in Lunas. Only his makcik’s family is stranded all the way in Ampang. There are 7 Wahabs all together. 3 passed away, and out of the 4 remaining members....Ujang’s makcik and his maksu are the main masterminds behind all these silly fun-filled events. When you have a makcik and a maksu who are roughly around your age and are always young at hearts....you’ll get pull along in all these kooky crazy adventures once you joined this family.

Last year, the Wahab’s clan organized a Family Day in Paradise Sandy Beach Resort. That was one crazy event with few generations of clan members joined in........and one that I’ll share more in the future.

Paksu, maksu & trah strike a pose.....and the rest of the group in action....

Last night however......we went bowling. Bowling! The last time I did this was around 6 years ago. Before Auni. Way before Aila. It was at the time when Ujang and I live in the States and it was not that often. So suffice to say that I was not in a great shape.....berkarat dah skills ni...Oh wait, ada skills ka?

So last night when his paksu said let’s go bowling.....we said ok...no problemo. At 9.30pm surprisingly with both girls still wide awake, we went bowling. It was a holiday night, Saturday night so the place was packed. At 10.30pm once the 2 lanes that we reserved were ready, the 8 of us bowl like there’s no tomorrow. My name was first. With no practise, no warm up....I dumped the bowling ball like a pro.... Note the key word here is DUMP! Hehehe.

Makcik sedang beraksi.....Ready.Set.Go!!

I was ok at first. I got my groove on....seriously...I thought I could ace this for sure. Surely my name will be amoung the top scores....to say the least. I was confident until I had my 4th turn and the 5th and it went down hill from there. I knocked one pin down....the next thing I knew.....bola dah masuk longkang....huhuhuhu....I got striked once...and that was it. That was all the glory for my bowling career last night. Ujang made a few strikes...so dia perasan lah tuuu.... Some...like maksu has hidden talent in bowling rupanya.....Oooo ada bakat takmau tunjuk yaaa...

Ooooohhhh my arm hurts all over. As this mommy never exercise.....her arms feels like jelly and her muscles suddenly awake and angry. “Why did you wake me...oh old lady” I bet that was what my arm muscles said......Sorry oooo arm muscles of mine...now go back to sleep!

End results, my name was at the bottom 3. What?....Seriously?? I am in denial here...In denial.

PS: Wonder what song did maksu choose for the karaoke session after bowling last night? We left right after bowling as Ujang is super shy to karaoke..... I bet she picked all those sappy love songs....jiwang karat sikit maksu tuuu.

W is for Weddings................

2010-06-05T17:42:00.020+08:00

Wedding season is here. When school holiday starts...so do all the weddings. For this school holidays we received a few wedding invitations from family and friends....insyaAllah we plan to go to everyone of them.... Why not...weddings are so much fun! The food, meeting friends and family.....I like it when wedding season is here....alrighty...yeah! Me like.....

To kick off, today is the wedding day for Ujang's cousin Yati and her special someone Fazril. Raja Sehari. Both police officers. Sama cantik, sama padan. What lovely couple.......but sadly, I didn't bring my camera today....so no pictures of the couple. Only daddy took 2 photos of this mommy with her girls. That's the downside of using a dslr...I suppose. Too bulky to shove it in this mommy's handbag......

What I like most about this wedding is the food....Yes, the FOOD. Ujang's Mak Teh is really a great cook. Back then...she used to be in the food business, so I know the food is going to be great today. The wedding was held at their house in Lunas.....not far from where we are staying. Mak Teh is famous for her nasi daging and sure enough, nasi daging was the main menu served in the wedding.

Sampai 3 lembu kena tumbang..........There are nasi daging, sup tulang+daging, cicah air asam, kari daging and acar as the main course, wash it down with chilled sirap...then for those with more space to spare....they can move on for some laksa and bubur kacang with a cup of teh tarik....all yummylicous. Me? Of course I got space in my tummy to spare.....hehehe. Duhhhh...

This is a typical kampung-style Malay weddings at it's best! Good food prepared by the neighbours through gotong-royong, Malay karaoke music in the background, a DJ making announcements to some unlucky car owners that blocked the main driveway, the sound of beating kompang and gong greeting the guests, one very hot weather, too many sweets being passed around (Auni ♥ this!) and crowds coming by in droves........

I like this style of weddings best because of the laid back atmosphere. You can eat as much as you want without feeling guilty....hehehe. As I am typing this....Ujang is actually back at his Pak Teh's house for his 2nd helping...or was it his 3rd now?? leaving this mommy to look after her sleeping girls.....

Till the next wedding on the list......this mommy will be sure to have more space to spare in her tummy for the next one.....

Baking with my girls : Vanilla Muffins

2010-06-04T11:46:00.037+08:00

Yesterday after school, this mommy decided to do a little baking with her girls. Originally both Auni and I wanted to wait until Aila is on her afternoon nap before we attempt our baking session. But Aila is actually smarter than us.....she was wide alert and shows no desire to even sleep a wink. Auni keep saying to her sister..."cepatlah adik...sleep. Auni nak bake muffins with mommy. Cepat laa sleep......Adik...sleeeeeeppppppppppp!!!."

What I did was to look for age-appropriate recipes beforehand. When baking with your kids, you do not want to start with a complicated recipe simply because you'll never know what will happen throughout the baking process.

Then I remember a guest on TV3's Wanita Hari Ini, Kak Ida from Ida's Bakery. She baked Vanilla Muffins on the show. She also demonstrated several ways that you can do to make a plan vanilla muffin more versatile. For the recipes : Muffin Vanila from Ida Bakery.

When baking with your kids, you need a recipes that has fewer steps and ingredients because it will work best. Plus, it's always a good idea to choose something that they'll love to eat when finished. Vanilla muffins would be perfect for our baking activity. With only 6 ingredients and easy steps to follow....seems easy enough even for a non-baker like me....

One vanilla muffins recipes....check! Baking tools and gadgets on the table....check! Baking ingredients all ready to go......check! Supermom SuperZen power to keep her calm and cool under pressure....check! check! check!

One hour later, we made it through with success. Not much cleanup, no messy floor, no spills....ooooooh, I couldn't ask for more. So proud of mommy's little helpers. Even though our vanilla with chocolate chips muffins that we made didn't poof up to the way I like it to be but the taste is what matters to the girls. As soon as its ready, they grab a few and enjoy it while watching TV.

Baking with your kids is doable actually. You just have to remember that PATIENCE is important to keep the baking fun. Zen.........

"There are many benefits to baking with your children. Enhance reading skills by encouraging your children to read our simple instructions. Exercise math skills through the measuring of ingredients. Setting a timer helps with the concept of time. Waiting helps develop the virtue of patience. Creating is important for boosting self confidence. Pride comes from a job well done. Cleaning up is an important life skill! And, nothing is more important than spending quality time with your children." (KidsCentralKitchen)

Additional reading on baking with your children, check out How to make baking fun for kids HERE and Cooking with kids HERE.

PS: This mommy will probably do this activity again during the school holiday. 2 weeks of no school for Auni.....eeemmm gotta plan more mommy-daughters activities to fill up the time at home. Else, she'll be one minah TV again.....

Award : for all you SUPERMOMS out there....

2010-06-03T09:23:00.033+08:00

Award season is here again....and unlike the durian season that I blogged about yesterday, this one doesn't smell....hehehe.....

This is a personal one of a kind award that I received from Syigim. By now, you would surely know the trend....Syigim loves to tag & give out awards...and I am lucky to even be mentioned in her list.....sungguh terharu...huhuhu....Thank you dear ♥hugs♥.....

Click HERE to read more of this supermom and her supercool blog. I like, I stalked and I read....

~Supermom Award~

Welcome to the toughest, most rewarding job ever!!!!

Ok lets face it folks......we all need a little superpower once in a while. Mommyhood is nothing but easy. Especially when we have to juggle with so many things on our plate.....and wear so many different hats..........synonymous with being a mommy. There are the hot & not-so hot sides to the job. To all moms out there, I salute you.

If Syigim's 3 superpowers on her wish list and they are super speed, able to stop time and the ability to fly...

My 3 superpowers as a supermom would definitely be:

1. Super Energy - so that I can be the energizer bunny to keep up with my girls, quit being a caffeine junkie for the much needed extra energy boost and not be exhausted at the end of the day running low on fuel after handling all the endless chores......mommy, chef, teacher, counselor, referee, wrestler, nurse, maid, cleaner, driver...etc..etc...you get the picture!!

2. Super Zen - So that I can forever remain calm and cool to face all the chaos in the house and life in general. Stress free. Blood pressure low. No more yelling to the girls.....aaahhhh if only. Tu belum lagi have to deal with raising teenage girls.....waaaaahaaa lagi stress.

3. Super Rich!!! - Of course, I can hire someone else to do everything for me.....muaaahh haaahaaa...Although this is not a superpower I know....tak kira...nak jugak....my very own fantasy..hehehe...

With great admiration and respect, I pass this award to fellow SUPERMOMS out there.....enjoy!

1. Super great mommies abroad - Mummy Nana & Julie. Syigim...I pass balik to you dearie.
2. Super juggler mommies - Yummy Mummy, Screaming Mommy, Jem, Mila, Sue, Ella, dbalkis & Shareen.

3. Super cool mommies - Eyna, Chugie, Nia, Nadnye, Lina, Nur, Ida & Catlina.

4. Super Gal Pals - Mas, Yatie and Dilla.

5. YOU.....the readers. Yes.......I mean YOU! ♥ u...where ever you are.....

And not forgetting to the rest of my Super Non-Blogger Friends for your continuous support. Love you guys......

PS: Ok....this mommy is off to mop the floor....Aila smeared all her yogurt on the floor again...Supermom with NO superpower....here I goooooooo....Kaboooshhh!!!

Hantu Durian.......

2010-06-02T14:12:00.022+08:00

Ujang's friend Aman and his family has a durian orchard in Merbok. Recently, Aman has been posting pictures of all the durians in his orchard on his Facebook. One picture even showed a whole bunch of durians that Aman placed in his car boot... For durian lover, one thought came to mind....YUMMY!

Of course, Ujang being a Hantu Durian could not resist seeing all those durian pictures. Very tempting indeed. Soon several of his buddies came up with the idea of going to the orchard to sample those tempting delights themselves.

So last Friday, Ujang brought along his Mini Hantu Durian....si Auni lah....who else. Both father and daughter had a great time there. However, the durians available were not as many as they expected. Abundance on the trees but not many on the ground...huhuhu....They ate a few at the orchard but both father-daughter durian-lover only came back with 1 durian instead. Sad but true....
Auni loves to eat fruits. She loves almost all kinds except pineapple and honeydew melons. Durian is also one of her favourites. Rank high on her fruit that she loves list. She gets this from her daddy, I suppose. I am totally the opposite in this department and I think Aila is the same with me. Aila only loves her banana......

Durian season is here. A lot of fruit stalls are selling durians now and soon those durians from Penang will be in abundance too. Ang Heh, D24, D99....the types of durians are endless. I know for a fact my sister and my SIL Linda are both experts in all the durian categories. Proof to show how much they love their durians.....

But for a non-durian lover like me, I'll just sit, watch, take pictures and of course smell the aroma of durian when the people that I love starts eating them. Then I blog about it.... that is enough for me.

Side Note: To read more on Durian in Penang & on how to choose a good durian, click HERE.

Auni's progress at school & her reading......

2010-06-01T14:40:00.049+08:00

We are entering June 2010 and half of the year is already gone. How fast time flies.
I had a chat with Auni's principal yesterday to inquire about Auni's progress. I missed the recent Parent-Teacher meeting, so my chat with her principal was perfect timing to checkout on her latest progress. The last time I had my 1-on-1 talk to her class teacher was back in April.

Good to know that she is doing well in school and she mixed well with her friends and teachers. You see, Auni has an introvert personality. My 4 years old is super shy. My biggest fear is that Auni would not be able to catch up on her reading as compared to other children because she's a little bit berat mulut to talk or ask her teachers if she does not understand something. Come to think of it....not a little bit but a lot! Her voice at school is super soft compared to her yelling or screaming at home. So I seek her principal's advise. She gave me some suggestions on how to coach or teach Auni to better improve on her reading. As for her shyness, nothing much can be done in that area.

Auni is now on book 3A for Peter and Jane series, going on book 3 for her Bacalah Anakku series and she is a few pages down in her Buku Iqro'.

Since I am adamant in reducing Auni's TV-loving activity, we have developed a reading & revision routine after she comes back from school. The best part is we managed to stick to the routine on a daily basis now which we failed to do so previously.

Good news is that Auni is no longer a Minah TV.... Yeah! Yeah! We'll see how long this would last.

Bad news is that mommy tends to get frustrated easily if Auni cannot identify some simple words in her books. Words like they, have, has, this, wants....she can't remember even though after several times reading the same words in her book. Her reading in Bahasa and Iqro' is so far so good. Alhamdulillah....

The suggestions that I received:
1. Start reading together regularly but no more than a few minutes at a time. A child tends to get bored easily if you stretch a lesson for too long. (Ok, note on this. I sometimes makes her sit a wee bit longer than necessary. That's why she often looks bored and her mind starts wandering around. Plus she gives me the silent treatment when I ask her to read a page in her book...)

2. Make reading before bedtime a regular activity. (We used to be good at this. But lately not so and reading before bedtime does not happen on a regular basis. The girls love to jump around before bedtime nowadays and keep on negotiating when it is time to switch off the lights...)

3. Make reading fun. (No problemo with this one :P)

4. Use flash cards as additional learning tool. (This is my fault and I admit it. I have yet to use proper flash cards as her learning aid especially when teaching her to read in English. Flash cards is my homework and it is on my to-do list)

So now mommy has her homework and Auni has hers too. Actually, the whole teaching & learning thing scares me. It just gets to be so competitive nowadays. By the time she goes to her primary school, she already has to master her reading and writing. It sure is different from my old schooling days....

Amazing Bali...a vacation to remember.

2010-05-31T14:20:00.065+08:00

Imagine you are in the mood to go travel and you have some money allocated in your "Tabung untuk Travel" but you still crack your head thinking of where to go......eemm, where to yaaa? Why not take a trip to Bali?

Bali. Ooohhh! Just hearing the name makes me think of beautiful sceneries. The sun, the sea, the beach and the breeze.....Aaahhhh....yes, it would be great to go to Bali again right now. If only our "Tabung untuk Travel" is nearly full and not remain empty! huhuhu....

October 2009, the four of us made the trip to Bali. It was the first time we took the girls on an international flight. To say that both of them were pretty excited....just doesn't do justice. They were estatic! Here is some of the snippets of our vacation in Bali....

Bali Island ~
My personal view of Bali is that the island is simply beautiful. It is rich with cultural heritage and also offers natural attractions to visitors as well. Over 93% of Bali's polulation is predominantly of Balinese Hinduism. Therefore, not surprisingly there are over 20,000 temples and palaces throughout the island, with many colorful festivals and ceremonies held in drama, music and dance. Nature lover would not be disappointed because Bali's natural attractions includes miles of sandy beaches, picturesque rice terraces, towering active volcanoes and lush tropical forests.

Weather wise, the island is hot and humid. The sun rise early at around 6am. The sun sets early at around 6pm. When we were there, by 9am it was already super hot to be at the beach. Make sure you bring lots of sunblock!

How to get there ~
Depending on where you are at, nowadays there are many airline routes going to Bali. Both Malaysia Airlines and AirAsia have frequent flights to Bali. For us, we took Singapore Airlines from Penang. Then stop over intransit at Changi airport in Singapore before departing for Bali's Ngurah Rai airport at Denpasar. Ngurah Rai is the 3rd busiest airport in Indonesia, so you can imagine the visitors that makes Bali as their preferred travel destination.

Where to stay ~
There are so many options to choose. Bali's main industry is tourism, therefore you will surely be able to find a place to stay that would suit your budget, preference and traveling style.
☻ Kuta ~ this is where we stayed. Busy town with lots of people. Known for its long sandy beaches and everything is convenient here especially if you want to shop, eat and chill out.
☻ Sanur and Seminyak~ has a quiet and relax feel to it. Sanur is more expensive than Kuta but cheaper than Seminyak.
☻ Nusa Dua ~ think of upper scale & luxury resorts with golf course too. Little accomodation outside the pricy range. So this place is definitely not crowded with people at all.
☻ Ubud ~ a remarkable town in the middle of the island. Weather is cooler here but there is no beach due to its location. A haven for fine arts, dance and music. Rows and rows of art shops lined up the street. Famous for its rice paddies & steep ravines.

What to do in Bali ~
There are many things that we can do and see in Bali. Here are some of the things that we did on our 5 day stay in Bali.

1. Chillin' at Kuta Beach ~ This is a must because the girls love the beach. So everyday after breakfast we are there and before sunset we are there too.

2. Sightseeing around Kuta ~ our hotel is just a walking distance to Kuta town. That's where to go for a little bit of sightseeing, shopping and to eat. As there are not many halal restaurants, our choices were limited to only fastfoods like McDonalds and KFC which displayed Indonesia's Halal certificate at their premises.

3. Go on an island tour ~ there are many tour packages that you can choose to tour Bali's island, again depending on your interests and budget. We took a full day tour to several interesting places such as visits to the temple, traditional batik weaving at Tohpati, wood carving gallery at Mas, see the rice terraces at Tegallalang, shopping at Ubud, scenic view of Kintamani the volcano and catch the sunset at Tanah Lot, just to name afew. If I am not mistaken, we paid around RM120 for a full day tour + tour guide + our ride in his Avanza. Not too bad ehhh...

4. Shopping spree at Ubud market ~ For shopping, we went to Pasar Ubud as recommended by our tour guide. He said that other places tend to hike the prices for tourists but Pasar Ubud is still considered as cheap by local standard. Only problem is the time there was just tooo short! There are also other malls in Kuta that we've visited too but you can't bargain for the items unlike shopping at their street markets.

5. Spending time with the girls doing what they wanted to do. It was a blast! A trip to remember.

What I like about Bali ~

☻ The service is superb regardless whether you are just entering a mall, taking the taxi, paying your goods at the cashier...their customer service is very good.
☻ Experiencing different cultures, the sights and sounds of Bali is totally different from other places I have been to.
☻ Beautiful sceneries, without a doubt.
☻ The fact that every town has their own cottage industry which indicated to me of how resourceful they are. Very artistic too.

My Side Notes -
This is just my personal take on our trip to Bali. As in all travels, different people experienced different things when they travel to new places. Personally, I love Bali. I want to go there again, if possible. But Ujang does not like the place because he is not into arts, cultural things and anything that's got to do with hot weather. Keep complaining about it being hot, hot and hot. So suffice to say that the girls and I enjoyed our trip....but daddy is just simply a different species...hehehe.

Jom travel..........................

Interesting Tag....try it lah!

2010-05-31T10:00:00.000+08:00

Hi everyone....Happy Monday!

It's that time again. Another tag question. I received this Interesting Tag from Julie - my blogger pal from down under...a lovely mommy of 2 adorable kids living in Melbourne Australia. Checkout her cool blog at The Colours of Million Memories. She tagged me for this very interesting entry and I thought of giving it a try.

I like tag questions. They are interesting and when I got this, I said to myself....why not just try this out and see what happens. It sure look interesting although. Given that my name starts with the letter F this should be interesting ehh. You'll see what I mean....

In summary, you have to answer all questions by using the 1st letter of your name. Ok, so my name starts with F....sungguh mencabar nih....have to get creative nih...suka sungguh buat kerja-kerja macam nih...

The Rules
a. It’s harder than it’s looks….
b. Copy to your own notes….
c. Erase my answers…..
d. Enter yours and tag twenty (20) people…..
f. Use the first letter of your name to answer each of the following question. They have to be real. Nothing made up. If the person before u had the same first initial, u must use different answers.
g. You cannot use any word twice…..
h. You can’t use your name for the boy/girl name question…..

The Tag Questions

1. What is your name
♥F.A.R.I.S.S.A♥

2. A four letter word

F.O.O.D. Better the word food than other four letter word that starts with the letter F....if you know what I mean!

3. A boy’s name
Fadzli & Faisal - my brothers.
Sorry I can't just name one of them cause I have 2 brothers with names starts with the letter F. Have to be fair, right...

4. A girl’s name
Fazlina - my "don't-mess-with-me-or-I'll-eat-U" sister....wink:P

5. An Occupation

Freelance Photographer.

6. A colour
Fuscha

7. Something u wear

8. A food
Fondue. Yummy.....

9. Something found in the bathroom
Facial Wash daaa

10. A place

France..................................

11. A reason for being late
Flat Tire...

12. Something u shout

Freedom!

13. A movie title

I love this movie....Finding Nemo!

14. Something u drink

Fanta!

15. A musical group

Foo Fighters...... Dave Grohl....hubba..hubba....

16. An animal

Frog.. in a fancy suit.

17. A street name

Fremont Street, Las Vegas...Best!

18. A type of car

All pictures except the one of yours truly are all courtesy of Google. Goodness....how I love Google. Don't know what I'll do if there is no google.

For this tag, I am passing this homework to a fellow blogger who loves to answer tag questions...siapa lagi kalau bukan Syigim.

But for others who feels like giving this tag questions a try.....and add as another homework on top of all the things that we have on our plate at this week hahahaha, why not......Try it lah... :))

Again, Happy Monday folks.

PS: This mommy wish that she could tag this questions to her old classmate Ita. Her name is unique & one of a kind. It starts with the letter X. Imagine what she'll write for all the questions above. That would be interesting kan.....