Oh well… What do I know…

One of the main reasons I ‘jumped’ into a different field about a year plus ago was my passion for writing. I have always had English as one of my easiest subjects to score during my schooling years.

Blogging started just after Arwah passed away, and carried on until now, although I am sometimes pressed for time, I always have this place called a blog to write about things about my life, things that I go through and things that matter to me.

And of the things that I have always regretted was not being able to be a frequent blogger. And by frequent I mean, a blogger that blogs almost everyday, provide updates often to make readers to come back for more. Working at the same time, can be a bugger to writing since it’s not my primary source of income.

I have been told by a friend to start writing.It is actuall y a dream come true, really. But yet, I hesitate…

Now, if I were to blog on a personal blog, it is okay to make mistakes, and even write about things that’s trivial to many, yet, what the heck, it’s my blog…:-) But writing as in writing for a bigger audience such as the newspaper readers…that thought alone is enough to make me shiver…LOL…And being in the publishing industry, I feel like anchovies in the sea of jaws…so to speak…

But Whatever it is, I will definitely give it a try. And I hope, it’s good enough :-) I really do. In layman’s term, I hope I don’t screw up big time…haha

So friends, share your thoughts on my writing, constructive criticism if you can… in short actually I’m trying to find the nudge that I need to have, as a friend keeps saying…”START WRITING!…” LOL…Man, that guy never gives up! I hope I’m worth his trouble though…:-)

So see ya guys around…and this time I will say… look out for me in print sometime next year ya? Next year is a loooonngg time to go….(Stalling) LOL…

 

Signing off…

That’s life…

 

Last weekend, a friend of mine, Meque, had an open house at her home in Putra Heights. She was a friend of mine in high school, and  coincidentally, her husband is a friend of my husband’s. So we made the time to go meet some old friends…

When we arrived, I saw some friends that I have not seen since school years, some as far back as form 4.(I changed school at F5). Some with kids, some in-progress getting kids, some about to get married.

What triggered my mind was…how we have changed. There was an aura of…maturity to a certain degree. Many of us, I believe, although I may not know ALL of their life stories, have been through life’s hardship at some point of their life. I could see it in their faces, the unwritten pain, and the hidden sorrows.

Along the way after school years and now, there was a lot of gatherings and reunions. Some did not make it, some did not want to make it…me included. But it was all justifiable I think. We all have our reasons.

Having been through a rough patch in my life, and at one point, having nothing in my life, gatherings and such was never a thing I wanted to go to. The fact is, I wasn’t happy at that time. And gatherings are happy occasions I think. I applaud those who are going through rainy days, yet still managed to make it. It takes courage. I definitely didn’t have it.  To plaster a smile on your face when your heart is not feeling it.

IT IS EASIER SAID THAN DONE. And It’s always easier to judge than to be in that person’s shoes.

But one thing that needs to be said, EVERYBODY has their own drawbacks, no matter how happy they look or how ‘perfect’ they seemed. But it’s not always said. The unsaid is usually more painful that how it looks. So no matter how ’inferior’ you feel, know that the grass is not always green in other peoples’ lives too. That’s life…

So to my friends, I enjoyed seeing you guys, although in school we were never  that close as friends, but we’re not in high school anymore are we…? :-) Life has thought all of us many things, but for me, life’s too short to harbor old grudges or anything else from the past. I, for one, know that for a fact.

Enjoy our lives as adults and mature individuals… enjoy it while it lasts. Be it good or bad, it’s still experiences that are worth going through.

C you guys next week…! ;-D

Not such a ‘fruitful’ event…:-)

One of the things that we noticed with Asyraaf eversince he was about a year old was his fascination with aircrafts, be it the commercial aircrafts, a chopper or anything that moves in the air come to think of it…He’ll will shriek at the top of lungs “Ibu!! Oplane!!”, pointing excitedly at an aeroplane that passes by. So when we got to know of the TUDM Subang Open Day, we were excited to bring him there and see his reaction.

But alas, it became an unfinished business instead…

Notice the deep frown on Asyraaf’s forehead? That’s because… we didn’t manage to get ourselves in time to the TUDM Open Day event in Subang…LOL. Our bad, we thought it was held until evening, turned out it was only till 1pm… hihi…sorry Asyraaf. It must have killed him to see the aircrafts so near yet…so far. Next time yer sayang…

After that, since the intention was cut off mid air like that, we decided to bring Asyraaf near KLIA and park where the aircraft landing strip is to make up for the failed attempt the first time around.So we drove there while Asyraaf keep repeating “Nak tengok oplane…(translation= aeroplane), yes!”

We parked very near runway and waited…and after a while came the first aeroplane…nice…

And then came the next one…suddenly…when we turned to see him…and we saw this instead…

LOL… our superhero…it seemed…was afraid if the plane is very near him…up in the sky is fine…but not THAT near…:-)

After saying “Jomla balik…nak masuk keta…acaf takut…” while gripping his dad’s neck…we took pity and started the journey home…:-D

And believe it or not …this is the story of the superhero that is afraid of something…FINALLY…:-)

Asyraaf, at his ‘not so best’

You know sometimes when you notice a kid in a party or a gathering somewhere that steals the attention of everyone by doing something that nobody else would do...? Well in this case, that boy is none other than Zamir Asyraaf.

This incident, or rather accident actually, happened last Sunday at Auntie Mira and Uncle Em's open house in Kemensah...Ibu is still red in the face remembering that incident...haiyoh...!

We went there before heading to Acik Eina's house for a gathering and it turns out it Auntie Mira made a cake for Abg Emir and wanted to celebrate it with the kids around. So we stayed a while longer for Emir.

 

And I did notice Asyraaf inching towards the cake the minute it was put on the table by Mira. And Emir trying his hardest to prevent Asyraaf from tumbling into his cake. The nightmare didn't end there.

While everyone was getting ready, Emran was lighting the candles, and everyone started singing "Happy birthday to you...happy birthday to you... happy birth..." and poof...the candles was blown off by Asyraaf...without a hint of guilt! My eyes nearly went out of my eyesockets!

Now I know some say, "ala...budak2..." but imagine the feeling of the birthday boy when his birthday cake candles was blown off by another person! Kesian Emir...

And again, Emran had to light the candles... and believe it or not, Asyraaf did it again! This time, I went to Asyraaf, held him in my arms to prevent him from getting to the cake while waiting for the Happy birthday song to end. At the same time fighting Asyraaf's wail trying to blow off the candle from afar, and in the end, desperate times calls for desperate measures... I HAD TO COVER HIS MOUTH so that he couldn't blow off the candles, praying Emir will blow it before he did.

.The song has never seemed so long before.

So this entry is to convey Asyraaf's utmost apology to Uncle EM, Auntie Mira and Abg Emir for blowing off Abg Emir's birthday candles...TWICE.

* I am dreading the next birthday party we have to go to...maybe I'll bring a mask along to cover his mouth...:-D

Out of preggieland...

I believe this entry is very much late in due. I was back at work since 22/6/09 but only now do I get a moments’ peace to write.

How do I feel??

Lighter, of course LOL… Not to mention, sleep deprived too…:-)

But it’s all in the package ladies and gentlemen…once you sign up on the trip to preggieland…there’s no turning back… EVER.

Work is better since I don’t have to go pee once in a few minutes and I can finally see my feet!! Hehe… Now that I think about it, after almost three years of marriage, I have not seen my feet quite often! And yes, I am definitely thinking of family planning. It’s not that I don’t appreciate God’s gift…but I’d like to give the best of me to my kids. More time, more love and of course more comfort if I can.

 

Now I don’t deny the rezeki that comes with the child…but I can only do so much if I am half asleep, tired and worked-out from work and family to do much. And hubby, I would like to use the maternity provision allocated for NST staff for once… which would of effect only after 3 years of service… Thank you very much…:-P

(sorry guys for the unfinished version…never thought anybody wud be reading it tonight…:-))

If you ask me honestly,

“So, how do you feel being a mom of two?”

The answer would be… TIRED. DAMN TIRED. EXHAUSTED. Me and hubby used to wake up once or twice every night for Asyraaf’s feedings, but now, times that by three. Hazel is still at the stage where she doesn’t really know how to differentiate night from day, so she wakes up frequently at night. Once I even made the wrong susu for the wrong child! Haha… That, would be a story I would tell the kids when they grow up…:-)

So… what has happened since Hazel’s birth? Well, for one she has been having occasional seizures from time to time… albeit mild ones. Brought her to a neurologist but nothing much came out of the visit. We are thinking of bringing her to another Paed in the few weeks in coming…

And the Prince? He’s 2, so the list is quite long for him…

1. He now knows how to say “ Ibu work…, ayah work…” if asked where my hubby and I during the day, or in my case, nights too…

2. Calls money…”Singgit lapan” no matter how much is in his hands…

3. Watches Barney tirelessly… (even now)

4. Runs for his life whenever I turn the vacuum cleaner on…

5. Wants to pick and choose his own choice of clothes, food and other things to his liking…

6. Demands hugs and kisses, and sometimes simply… DEMANDS. Eg: Peluk Ibuuuuu….(I want to hug Ibu) , Ciumm Ibuuuu…(I want to kiss Ibu) ,tepi sikit….(can u move over?)  sini duduk….. (sit here beside me) And yes, he speaks the second word before the first…hehehe…

But if you ask me again, how does it feel to be a mom of two…?

IT’S VERY REWARDING, EVERY SECOND OF IT. No doubt about it.

Coz at the end of a very long and tiring day… You get to see beautiful and innocent eyes looking at you, while running into your arms…saying   “ Ibuuuu!!!”

THAT, MY FRIENDS… is enough to make me walk a thousand miles to get to them, even being barefoot while doing it… Truly…

Alhamdulillah…

Asyraaf turns 2!

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Sorry for the late update guys…been busy with…well nevermind…I’ll spill on that in another entry eh…?

Been a headless chicken prior to Asyraaf’s birthday, cracking my head on the cake design, calling every baker I know to make his cake for both his taska and Ipoh birthday bash… including his goodie bags and everything that goes with it like the party novelties aka hats, whistles, eyemasks etc etc etc… Man it was a lot of work! Lucky I only had to prepare the cakes and the cuppies for Ipoh since MIL has other things prepared…phew!

But it was well worth it I guess. Now I know why some mothers would go all out in preparing their kids birthday party. Because of the looks you will see in your child’s face, that shine in his eyes when he sees his favourite cartoon character on his birthday cake…and in Asyraaf’s case when he took a taste of the cake with his fingers before it even got out of the box!:-)

Sorry haven’t gotten a lot of pics from the bday party in Ipoh…been busy with putting everything together with the help of relatives plus making sure Asyraaf didn’t jump into the cake…*sigh…

So Asyraaf turned 2 on 28.05.09 this year…how time flies… beautiful days every single day turns out to be when you have children to share it with…Alhamdulillah…

PD in the blink of an eye

  admiral cove’s view was great…but the food needs improvement though…

We went for a trip to PD last weekend, a short one… it was actually to let me blow off steam of my pantang…needed the fresh air… ;-D

We stayed at the avillion admiral cove… i booked through online and tried my luck since PD is not exactly a familiar holiday spot for us… so book i did and off we went that evening…

And man… could there be a longer packing time for any family in this planett?? Took quite some time to pack since this is my first time packing for two kids… lucky we don’t have to bring asyraaf’s cradle now since he can sleep without it if need be though he still uses it at home.

We arrived at the hotel quite late and after checking in we stayed in the room for a while before going out to the nearest eating spot for dinner.

I had this… 

It was RM 8! But it was well worth it…sedappppp… (isk…tanye org lepas pantang sumerr sedapp LOL). Asyraaf and Munir had Nasi ayam and roti bakar… Btw, the name of the drink was tiramisu blended with coffee and choc…sumething like that…:-)

 The boy who ‘likes’ the pool but only wishes to be ‘near’ it, not inside it…

Next day we headed down the hotel to have breakfast ( the bfast was not to die for…unfortunately) during which Asyraaf managed to give some bread to the fishes near the jetty/marina… there were some   people prepping to go for fishing nearby too. The view was great… * sigh… definitely have to go away again…

And last but not least… some pics before we went off…:-)

The girl in top pic? That’s asyraaf’s friend from pool…

You are cordially invited to…

We are inviting everyone to our daughter’s Akikah & Cukur Jambul ceremony … It will be on this coming May 30th, 2009 in Ipoh. If you can make it, let me know and I’ll email you the map ya…?

And after the ceremony, big bro Asyraaf will have his birthday bash right after…he is 2 on the same date! So come jom heboh2 in Ipoh!  :-)

* Asyraaf kata jangan lupa bawak haiiiahhh ehhh… * wink2x…

Putting my thinking cap on…

Having some time off work for a change leaves me some room to  think about other things in life besides work. A few weeks before going for maternity leave I went for a course and was asked to write down our goals in life in specific details. For example if I want a car, what kind or car, colour, model, and if possible sketch it out. Be as clear and illustrative as you can.

Errmmm…now that I think about that… A ferrari would be nice too ehh…? Just kidding…hehe…

And it’s true. It gives you a better and clearer perspective. I have always been a methodical person where I cannot, I emphasize, cannot, work if my desk is cluttered. And I need to have a paper and pen in hand because I need to write everything down in order to get myself organized and feel good. During my study years, I bought a whiteboard and hung in right in front of my desk and wrote every single thing that needs to be done each day. I think my internal hardisk size is too small…:-)

But it has served me well so far, so I hope it will continue to help me in getting my life’s goal as soon as possible, and be debt-free as soon as I can. Ultimate goal is life free of debt and have money that works for me, not the other way around. Oh yes, an early retirement would be nice too… :-) Aminnnn…

Where’s Asyraaf…?

His toys are IN THE BOX…

His playthings and truck is parked nicely and not somewhere on the dining table…

  His bear and Mr froggy is for the first time IN the cot…

Where is the little rascal??

Jenjenjeng… He is in Ipoh…brought back there by his Tokwan and Makwan for the weekend aka holidaying without us… :-) Hence why all his things are where they are supposed to be for a change LOL…

First day without him was… serenity…second day was… okay…today we are missing him… A LOT… Lucky tomorrow he’s coming back home or else Ibu and Ayah will be opening his album to look at his pics… * erkk, or have we already done that abang…? Huhu…

On the right: 

Kisah budak yang rasa dia  ‘Encemmm…’ di mana dia tanpa segan dan silu memintak Acik Eina mengambil gambar dia dan mengatakan bahawa dia…”encemmm…” bila tengok gambar sendiri dan  tersenyum kambing…

Oh ya, dan tanpa segan dan silu jugak duduk di atas rocker adiknya… * adei…

Happy Mother’s Day…

Saw this on my pillow today… Thank you my beloved husband ( I know it wasn’t Asyraaf and Hazel who wrote those you know despite you telling me so again and again… :-)

And Happy Mother’s Day to all too… It’s a blessing to be a mother… happiest moments of my life came from…being a mother…:-) It takes a lot to be one, but you get a lot from being one too…

Jaundice…AND stunted??

Hazel had jaundice at about 7-8 days old…and was warded for 2 days under the blue light until she was a little better and was discharged. And at about 3 weeks…there was a little more on her face which refused to go away…

And that was when an aunt came to our house to visit and uttered this words…

“ Isy kuning nie…dalam mult dia kuning, mata pun kuning, badan pun kuning ni…bawakla pegi hospital takut terbantut pulak… Memangla badan dia kecik tapi kalau kecik sgt pun tak patut jugak…something wrong ni”

Now I do not know much in medicine but I do know when someone’s pushing the limit a little bit too far… God, she practically called my child stunted right to my face! It is not WHAT she said as much as HOW she said it. It was as if my child is going to grow up stunted if I don’t do anything. I was too angry to say anything but kept mum. Granted, Hazel is small compared to Asyraaf (then again, who isn’t?), but to imply that someone’s child is too small and stunted is uncalled for. You are not exactly in the medical profession anyway.

And I do remember when she also had something to say when Asyraaf was very chubby which was “ Toksahla gemok2 sangat, tak comel…sudah2lah tembam tu…” If you were in my place, what would you have done??

That night I immediately brought Hazel to the hospital to take the blood test for jaundice, and was told… “ There’s nothing to worry about, the jaundice is very mild and will go away soon enough” by the Doctor.

Thank you so much for driving me panic Aunty… I just wish some people would keep their mouths shut if their opinions are not particularly helpful and in this case… not exactly wanted.

Alhamdulillah, now Hazel is doing fine, her jaundice is completely gone and after first assessment by the Doctor after her first jab, she’s just fine…Alhamdulillah…

* God my blood is still simmering…! Moral of the story, trust your instinct as a mother, you know your child best…

Asyraaf’s Nightmare…or ours…?

As of lately, we are deprived of sleep, not only from Hazel, which is not only expected, but anticipated, but from Asyraaf. He has been waking up in the middle of the night from nightmares, we presume and keep on crying relentlessly till wee hours in the morning.

GOD, HELP US…

That was what usually go through our minds especially when the brain stopped working somewhere between 3-4 am and the feeds and nappy changing of Hazel. We are lucky Hazel is not much of a fuss, unlike Asyraaf at her age.

Somehow there’s the maternal instinct in me that pops up and says ‘Maybe he is showing his need for attention’. The crying, the tantrums, the wriggling on the floor and the “No!” answer to every question we ask and sometimes the questions we don’t ask…ahakks… It was as though No was his answer by default.

But since yesterday, I have been trying to pay extra attention to him, especially when he starts to throw himself anywhere on the floor, I playfully chased him around the house and it worked. He started laughing and asked for more games, peekabo, main Kuchi2 (tickle in his language) and no more nightmares…alhamdulillah. Maybe as a  new parent of two, we oversaw the need of the elder sibling…our bad…

Would welcome any suggestions and tips of course…:-) Feel free to drop one ya…

Ibu…Nak Acikkk….Ayammm…*nod2x

Ibu…nak acikkk… ayammmm ehh…

I am by a long shot not a good cook…and never will be I guess. I have never been good nor comfortable in the kitchen as compared to cleaning the house…which is why I am sometimes called the cleanaholic by mr hubby…and yes, i do get ‘meroyan’ if the house is in utter chaos but i’m superrrr fine if there’s nothing to cookkk…oopss… my bad… tak cukup asuhan gaknyer…kekekek…lagi mau salahkan org lain…

So you can imagine when my son asked me in the cutest way possible from his safety gate which is near the kitchen saying…

“Ibu…nak ascikk… ayammm ehhh…” while nodding numerously with hope in his eyes… He wants to eat nasi with soup which is the menu they give at the nursery I think. How my heart fell at that moment… So this kaki bangku masak of a mother in me asked my sister in law how to make a chicken soup(yer, buat sup ayam pun tak pandai…huhu)  and did it today…and succeeded since he did eat a lot and with fervour … the feeling? Utter pride of course…being somebody who is not much of a cook…Mcm menang lottery LOL…

…Anak punya pasal… they do make us into better human beings don’t u think? :-) Dah tue baru pandai masak sup kuakuakua…

Anyway, if any of you know recipes for little kids, plzzzz sampaikan ilmu anda juga kepada sayer yerrr….sekian terima kaseeyyy… * wink2x

The “Bigger” Picture

The number 2 is bigger than 1 right…? (The fact that I’m asking this question shows how haywired my mind is right now * sigh…) Everything seems bigger to me somehow lately…

I noticed we needed bigger storage for the kids’ clothing and things…bigger space in the trunk for both strollers to be put in… bigger budget for the family… more diapers to buy… and most of all, BIGGER RESPONSIBILITIES.

With one kid, you are free to do anything your heart desires, so long as that one kid is fed, put to sleep, given attention to and yada yada yada…

But with two kids, it is like a circle… you satisfy one, the other goes wailing, you satisfy the wailing one, the first one has something to say… or do.. and the job never ceases! Gosh… how does one stop the freaking loop?? And how does one handle more than 2 kids…? I wonder if it gets easier

It is a new concept for us and we are still adjusting to having two kids in our lives… and it takes a lot of patience and perseverance of course…

But…

When I see this… IT ALL SEEMS WORTH IT… May Allah bless our little family…Aminn…

* I was actually afraid Asyraaf was going to fall on top of Hazel… but he was adamant we let him kiss his sister…

Tribute to Dad

Best Dad Award…

This time…it’s Dad’s turn to be acknowledged… The one person that has been through it all with me…

• Yg kena marah bila mood swing Ibu datang tak semena-mena…ayah jugak…
• Yang kelam kabut pergi beli nasi ayam yg Ibu nak… ayah jugakkk…
• Yang buatkan milo bila Ibu nak minum buat kali yang ke berapa ntah…ayahhh jugak…
• Yang kena cengkam kuat masa Ibu deliver Hazel…ayahhh jugak…
• Yang kena jaga Asyraaf bila Ibu kerja on public holidays…ayahhh jugakk
• Yang jaga Ibu dalam pantang…ayahhh jugak…
• Yang bangun malam buatkan susu anak…ayahhh jugakk…
• and the list goes on…

So in this entry… I just want to say to my husband… thank you for all that you have done… We love you…very much … :-)

I am not like many where they can depend on their moms on almost everything. For me, everything lies with my husband. And I am in many sense independent in life. I can’t turn to my parents if I get stuck so my husband is all I’ve got. Therefore along the course of our marriage we lean on each other and pretty much survive on the existence and support of each other. And alhamdulillah… we have managed it so far… i hope Allah will bless this marriage that we have got until we die…

P/s: Ayah…nak millooo?? hihihi…

Love,

Ibu, Asyraaf & Hazel

I’m in Heaven…

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Pics of Asyraaf on the rare occasions when his Ayah gave him the luxury of playing in the tub… slalunya main jirus ajekk…hehehe… The wonders of water and bath eh… Sampai kecut2 tak nak keluar lagi… * sigh

So now whenever he wants to have the ‘heavenly bath’ again he will simply open his clothes and say “ Nak andi!!” while pointing to the bathroom… Ehh… nice try my son…heavenly baths only happens once in a blue moon hence the name HEAVENLY bath…LOL

The Vicious Cycle is back….

Well… now our friend Mr Diaper is back with a vengence… Hazel is starting the vicious cycle of poo…milk…sleep…poo…milk…sleep again… But at least she she cries much softer than her brother who has a loudspeaker for a voice!

She usually sleeps during the day and wakes only for feedings but at night…God…she wants to be held… and after feeding her eyes will be wide open and looking around although her sight is still very limited.

So there goes my sleep time, and when I can’t open my eyes anymore, Munir will take over… We are lucky Asyraaf only wakes to feed once or twice during the night and sometimes not even once if he’s too tired. But we are trying to manage… :-)

And for those wanting to get kids… get used to THIS… hehe…

Stock for the ‘dry season’ 

A Whole Lot of Difference

I thought giving birth via c-section was horrific, but I was wrong. Giving birth normally was a package I call : excruciatingly painful, long and crazy. Hehe… it was a process all mothers go through ever since human existed. And yet it never gets old. It is what I think a life-changing experience and again, one of those things in life that is the very essence of being a woman.

The vast difference between the two types of birth processes? Here are some that I find very interesting:

1. The healing process for normal delivery is VERY MUCH faster. I am now only in my second week of confinement and I am quite healthy and fresh. The first time around, it took me two weeks just to be up and about, still need help bathing coz I was still shaking and couldn’t hold anythg steadily.

2. You get thinner fasterr!! haha…yup…especially the tummy where it expanded to the point of no return, it took me about 1 week just to see it shrinking back… A LOT. With the c-sect, I was still having extra baggage when i was starting to get pregnant again… and I lost weight back to my original weight only after 9 months! Imagine how long that took…

3. Breastfeeding helps too I guess…it burns the calories you put on during pregnancy…With Asyraaf I didn’t breastfeed… :-(

4. It does not leave you with any scars… I still have kelloids from my previous c-section, the extra flesh on top of the scar of the operation. And it doesn’t look nice…at all…* sigh

5. It is painful to urinate and pass motion during the first week let alone to sit…especially when you have haemorrhoid added to it… * grimace

5. And it’s cheaper giving birth normally… I am glad we went for normal delivery albeit having concerns of any complications arising from VBAC…alhamdulillah everything went well…

But it is a choice I guess…some people go for the c-sect for the sake of the date, or to avoid the giving birth pain but some, for the sake of medical emergencies…Whatever the reason, it’s your body, you decide what’s best for yourself… But for me, I think I’ll still go for normal delivery if Allah permits… :-)

IBU… Nak kokom!!!

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Hmm…makan pun sodapp nie…

The new favourite verse of the moment is…”Ibu! Nak kokom!” while pointing to his baby sister… And deny him we can’t or he will start shoving his sister in order to get to carry her.

Asyraaf has started to ‘kokom’ meaning ‘carry’, ‘suchu’ meaning ‘to give milk to his sister while laughing gleefully when I let him. In short he wants to be included. And surprisingly, he is gentle with her, when kissing his sister he will give his cheek slowly to her (to be kissed, not to kiss, mind you…hehehe) and he will pat her ever so gently when she cries saying “Nangissshh…diam…shhh”… :-)

We think he is embracing the concept of siblinghood quite easily though we are a bit wary he might take things into his own hands… So Hazel is always in my sight 24-7…

Asyraaf: Even your dad can’t help you this time…you need to learn how to be the big bro k…coz ayah is the only child hehehe…Good luck sayang … :-)

A Wonderful Gynae…and More… :-)

This post is dedicated solely for Dr Seri Suniza of PCMC. We promised her we would give the url of this blog for her to read and I take this opportunity to thank her for being THE best gynae any woman can ask for.

I never thought it was possible to develop a bond with my Dr during the 9 months of pregnancy but it happened. Alhamdulillah, we got the gynae that we can ask opinion from, questions and raise concerns without feeling the least bit intimidated by her. She was always friendly, chirpy and informative at the same time alert to my health. Two thumbs up for Dr Seri and her medical team during my labor and delivery, I couldn’t ask for a better experience than the one I had in PCMC.

We were actually not planning to deliver in PCMC but since we fell in love with her efficiency, friendliness and a feeling of confidence to be handled by her, we decided to go for it though it was a little off the budget for us. But it was well-spent and I felt well-taken cared for which helps to faster recovery especially when I get to eat the tiramisu…! Kehkehkeh…believe it or not, me and Munir will wait for the mealtimes to come and go clawing for the tiramisu first!… LOL

Thanks again Dr Seri for a great and comforting delivery experience for us. We will see you during our next appointment ya!  ;-)

We Made It Out…ALIVE!!!

Phew! The mystery is solved finally… After months of waiting in anticipation, wondering and thinking how it’s going to turn out for me this second time around… it has finally passed and alhamdulillah, I couldn’t ask for a better delivery experience with the best medical team…

But on a more serious note, I was terrified before going for the labor and delivery. All my thoughts were concentrated on whether I can make it through the normal delivery after an emergency c-section with Asyraaf. Though the risks are higher than for a woman who has a normal delivery before, we were prepared to take the risk…plus the costs will be lower too… hehe.

Having opted for an induced labor due to the size of Hazel which was already 3.3kg at 38 weeks, and the high possibility of her reaching 3.9kg by EDD, we headed to Prince Court on Tuesday morning, Asyraaf sent to the nursery, his bag packed with him, and my things too for the stay at the hospital.

I was induced at about 11.30 am 070409, only started to feel contraction in the evening, and started to beg for ‘heppidural’ at 11.30 at night. And the journey has only just begun… And it was a battle only I can go through. God, the time seemed to be moving oh so slowly! After epidural kicked in, the smile muscle in my cheeks started to work again under the uephoria which was “heppidural”…LOL… (lagi kena usik dgn anaesthetist “ Haa….baru nampak dia senyum…, tadi kelat je…) Citt…:-P

Had a good sleep albeit the skyrocketing contractions, had a very small breakfast lest I throw up during delivery and at about 10 am started to feel the urge to push so bad, I was cursing Munir under my breath… Being him, he will sometimes make jokes, untimely ones I might say, and get a piercing stare so hard he stopped making them. God…I can only pray to Allah at that time…But having my husband by my side…eases my pain in a way. He will recite Kursi for me and I will listen and feel the contraction subsiding a little…

And at about 10.45 am, my beloved Dr Seri came in like Buzz Lightyear ( and she did do the “Okayy!!! I’m here…” Ultraman like…LOL. If I wasn’t in so much pain… I would have surely laughed. But no can do…Somebody’s still not out yet.

And there on began the pushing. I was so lousy at it I wanted to give up. Never been through a normal delivery before, I didn’t really know what was ‘pushing’ …It took me almost 45 mins just to push with Munir giving me water (it was so thirsty giving birth!!) every few seconds. I felt like I was in the marathon where the runners usually pour water on the faces at the pit stops. And having a doctor you are most comfortable with that was heping you and assisting me all the way finally gave way to…tadaa….

whats up bro...!?

… Baby Hazel Aleesya bt Ahmad Munir…weighing 3.3kg, healthy and well. After Hazel was whisked away to be tended to, Dr Seri put her attention to me and started ‘ sewing’. GOD IT WAS PAINFUL….! I thought I was in labor all over again…and then the problem started, I started haemorrhaging… which lost me a lot of blood and things became a little chaotic at that time…

And the only thought that came to mind…” At least my daughter’s already safe…if it was time to go…then it was God’s will…” But i guess my time has not come, they managed to contain the situation, and Dr Seri sewed me up nicely and I was sent to the normal room in the evening after being monitored for a while. The next day I was called Dracula by Dr Seri since I had to be given two pints of blood to replace the ones lost during delivery…:-)

It was a great experience for me, suspense, fright, happiness, pain, all wrapped into one. On the fourth day after getting sufficient rest and treatment, I was discharged. But as I turned to look at my baby, I thought to myself “How in hell did someone as BIG as THAT come out of me??”

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Introducing.... Hazel Aleesya bt Ahmad Munir

Salam everyone... today is the first day I get to be near the laptop since this is the first day I got to walk unaided...alhamdulillah. After 2 pints of blood I feel very much healthier now after giving birth to hazel on wednesday morning... Finally, the ordeal is over and I made it out ...ALIVE...lol...

Will update more later ya...nak makan tiramisu hehehe....daa....

Live from Prince Court Medical Center

update
3.30pm

Eddina has safely delivered a healthy baby girl weight 3.3kg at 11.40am this morning. Mummy and baby is in good condition, dad still traumatized with the whole blood flow, scream and pushing with baby head halfway out. Anyway, it is an experience which will bring "keinsafan" on the greatness of Allah. Its a sacred experience... all dad should go thru it. Alhamdulillah....

Asyraaf's Dad...
(I survived... nasib baik tak pengsan.. heh !)


update
08/04/09 9.00am
Contraction getting heavier.... "heppidural" already kicked in... so she still can smile a bit.... :)
Based on Dr Sri rough estimation from the 'opening' , by noon today we can say hi to the lil' ones.... and Asyraaf officially hold the brother title... which something I myself never even had any chance or experience... good luck son !

Lets just pray to Allah for their (mummy and baby) rahmah and blessing for safe and wonderful delivery...

Asyraaf's Dad
(still wondering whether I can survive to witness the process of delivery....sigh :p)

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07/04/09
Just a quick sneak peak update..... Eddina was admitted to PCMC labour room this morning for induce delivery.... Will update from time to time....

Asyraaf's Dad :)
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Err…the Mum Song??

Mommiessss!!! Help!!! Our very gender is being ridiculed in this video!!!

Err…but is there a ring of truth in it perhaps…? Some remote possibility maybe…? huhuhu…I do see it in my mom though…LOL.And I bet my kids are going to say the same thing about me one day…haha… But oh well, too bad, WE ARE YOUR MOTHERS…therefore we get the license to NAG… LOL…

Thank God for TTB…

I never thought I would one day thank a TV series for making it easier for me to survive motherhood.  But here I am doing it.

We are not anywhere near subscribing to any cartoon channels on the Astro yet…we think the 611 Astro Ceria and TVIQ is sufficient…for now at least.

But one thing that I have found to be intriguing, is how TTB can mesmerize my son up to the point where he will lie down with his favourite pillow and bottle of milk, eyes glued to the TV series from the start of the show till the credit scrolls down at the end of the show. He even stops doing whatever he’s doing to watch the TTB commercial! And my child is one easily distracted kid let me tell you.

I am not sure whether the ‘content’, as some parents say…can be er… ‘inappropriate’ to kids…but to me…I think it’s okay… I mean when has Malaysia ever had a TV talk show involving kids that can have such impact…? Furthermore, Aznil is a great host  for TTB or any other show for that matter. So for now I am just thanking god that I get at least some time in my day where I get to eat without interruption while my child watches TTB…He even sometimes mimics the TTB slogan with his hands saying “ Om om bak!!” LOL… That, my friends, is the ultimate power of TV…:-)

A Childcare Centre or a Maid??

We have been thinking about hiring a maid since I got pregnant with LittleOne. But we ended up not taking one for a variety of reasons, most of them stated in this article quoted below. I don’t know if we are doing the right thing or if hiring a maid is better as compared to a childcare centre, but for now… i think a nursery suits us best since Asyraaf seems very happy there and being well-cared for. Believe me, I have had a fair share of choosing the wrong nursery, but we got it sorted out and found the current one which is very good…Alhamdulillah…

The trick is to always do a ‘nursery sport check’ as and when you feel like it and look for tell –tale signs from your child to see if he is happy there or not… the rest, leave it to Allah…insya-Allah all will be well…

For your eyes and mind…

More young Malaysian parents are opting for childcare centres, instead of hiring a maid, to look after their children.

WHEN Dr Mafeitzeral Mamat and his wife, Dr Haniza Abdul Jalil, were expecting their first child, they looked around for a good childcare centre to register their baby.Their son, now aged four, was sent to the centre when he was just a month and a half old.
The idea of leaving their son at home in the care of a foreign maid was not something the couple, particularly Dr Haniza, was willing to consider.
They felt a well-run childcare centre would be better suited to meet the emotional and intellectual needs of their child.
The couple are among an increasing number of young Malaysian parents who are choosing not to apply for a maid once they have a child.
Put off by horror stories of child abuse by maids and concerned about the influence of foreign maids on their children, many couples prefer to place their children in childcare centres and juggle housework themselves.

Dr Mafeitzeral and his wife placed their two older children in daycare when they were still infants because they felt the children would benefit from such a setting in the long run.They chose a centre that only took in a small number of children and had a ratio of one caregiver to two infants.The couple wanted their children to socialise with other children at the centre instead of only having a maid to turn to.
“We have seen how some children mimic the speech and behaviour patterns of their maids. It may sound funny to hear a Malaysian child with an Indonesian accent, but it tells you the influence maids have,” said Dr Mafeitzeral. Dr Mafeitzeral said centre workers keep them closely updated on their children’s development and they are immediately notified if the children are unwell, not eating properly or have any other problems.

He added that it’s important for parents to do some research and find a centre that really suits their needs. Many of the couple’s friends have also turned to daycare after bad experiences with foreign maids.
Priscilla Abraham, a mother of two, has also never had a maid and her seven-year-old special needs son and 20-month-old daughter are in daycare at a centre near her home. Priscilla never considered hiring a maid given the high cost of applying for one and worries over the possible abuse or neglect of her children. She searched for a centre that met the safety and hygiene standards she had in her own home and eventually selected one with just 15 children. The principal was very welcoming of her son who has Down’s Syndrome and autism and the care provided has benefited both her children.
“They are independent and very sociable. They share things when they play and I believe being around other children has made this possible.”

But not all childcare centres provide the kind of care they promise, as Dziana Mohd Saleh discovered when she sent her son to one operating from an apartment. Dziana was shocked when she dropped by one day and found her then three-month-old baby, Adam Haqimi, lying on the floor and suckling from a milk bottle that had been propped up with a pillow.
“They did not even bother to hold the bottle. He could have choked,” said Dziana who has since moved her son to another centre.
Norzamri Shaari and Syarifah Hasniza Syed Hassan are another couple who never considered having a maid and their two children, aged four and six months are progressing well at a childcare centre.
Four-year-old Wan Alya Qistina, in particular, has changed from a quiet and shy child to one who is active and outgoing.
“They have many activities at the centre and she’s very excited about all of them and full of stories when we come to pick her up.” said Syarifah.

Habibah Soopi, who has also placed her three-year-old son in daycare, believes socialisation with other children is particularly important for an only child. When her son was born, he was first raised by his grandmother but once he became a toddler, Habibah and her husband Mohd Shahjahan wanted him to have the company of other children. Their son, who has been in daycare for two years, is an active and healthy boy who’s picking up new words all the time. “He’s so excited about the activities and the friends he has that we know we have made the right decision,” said Habibah.

Alice Leow, a mother of two girls, aged four and one, agrees with Habibah. She too has no regrets about daycare. She turned to a childcare centre after first trying out a maid when her older daughter was born. Unfortunately, the maid was not concerned about hygiene despite repeated reminders. “I once caught her feeding my daughter a piece of fruit that had fallen onto the kitchen floor,’ said Leow. Of even more concern to Leow was the fact that her daughter would get upset every time the maid was reprimanded. “It made me realise how big an influence the maid can be when she is with your child the whole day.”
Her children now attend a home-based childcare centre near their house which caters to only eight children and the workers are well-trained. “It has made such a difference. Without the stress of dealing with a maid, it’s so much more pleasant at home for all of us.”  NST 260209

I welcome any suggestions or opinions you guys have, I might not see some things that you see…;-)

Pink Frenzy

Blame it on my ignorance… but I believe girls look sweetest in pink. Huhu… I am uncontrollable now… but the pink crusade has begun…LOL. And mind you, these are only a few of the many other PINKS I bought…hehe. If the baby comes out a boy…walauwey… he’s just gonna have to swallow his pride and be the prettiest boy in town! :-) Hekhekhek…

By the way, I am already discharged from PCMC. Am alright now… was just a scare I guess for me to take things slow… and REST. Dr Seri gave me 5-days MC before I get back to work…huhu…

Got to go now…daaa…sleepy already…Zzzzz….

Futsal with #7

The ball is mine!!! Don’t anybody dare to take it from me!!

One good thing about being hospitalized is that I am forced to rest. So now I can catch up with the posts I have been meaning to update but always had to put it off due to being super busy…

This time is the story about the boy who has never been to a futsal court before (the only other time we went was when he was 7 mons old). This time…whoaaa…lo and behold, the thunder has arrived!

* Alamak Uncle Manok ni amik gambor asyaf lak…asyaf malu nie…tengok bawah je la…control macho sket… hehehe…

* I am shy…therefore I shall look down and pretend I am a statue…LOL…

Having played ‘ball’ with his dad a lot of times before, it came to no surprise when Asyraaf wanted to barge into ANY court that has an ongoing game, wanting to take the ball as if it was his… So the task of the evening was to make sure he is preoccupied and learn to wait until the gamed ended before he can go into the court and take the ball. He would look at me with pitiful eyes, pointing to the ball in the court and said “ Ball…ball…”:-) After waiting for about half and hour outside the court, the game finally ended and Munir took him into the court to play….and again…the song What a wonderful world played in my ears as I watched him chase after the ball…LOL… 

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Admitted at PCMC

I am blogging from PCMC this time, because I am admitted here since yesterday evening.

I wasn’t feeling well the last two nights with back pains that shot up to my shoulders from my lower back, constant peeing (even more so than usual), felt feverish, dizziness and when I woke up yesterday morning to go to work, I vomited a few times which alarmed me. I was also experiencing light headedness with fast breathing at the same time. Actually I have been feeling funny since last week but last 2 nights was the worst so I decided to call up Dr Seri to expedite my checkup which was supposed to be on this  Saturday to yesterday evening.

So here I am, warded here to be tested and observed for a while since I also have A SLIGHTLY (I emphasize…SLIGHT) high sugar level :-P… I totally blame the chocolates and donuts on this…I can’t help myself that there are so many donut shops around!! LOL…

Anyway, I also think the Dr wanted me to rest. Aside from putting me on bed rest, I don’t think I can rest what with unpredictable work shifts up from 7  in the morning and sometimes afternoon till 10 pm at night…it sure doesn’t help the fatigue. Anyway, she informed me she will write a letter to request better suited working hours while I am pregnant…woohhooo….!!  I feel better now already…:-)I hope it will help though, I have been dragging myself to go to work every morning ever since the Taman Medan NPE highway is open for free and literally EVERYBODY has been using the NPE since Monday, causing bloodsucking traffic and leaving me tired before I even get to office…*sigh

Here are a few pics I took from the room last night, feels like I’m on vacation…:-) Great view, great food, great service…hey, that should be the mission for every hospital, don’t you think…? ;-)

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