Ramadhan and the Kids

Before I forget, Happy Fasting to all Muslims around the world!! May this Ramadhan be a prosperous month for us all, semoga diberkati Allah.

Ramadhan has been pretty ok so far. We went back to my in-laws for the 1st weekend since it was also the start of the school holidays. I didn't do much but I did manage to squeeze in a shopping session with hubby at JJ, Ayer Keroh. I wanted to buy something for myself but as always, I end up buying clothes for the kids. And underwear for myself. It's always underwear for me. At RM10 for 4, I just can't resist!! I need to ween out the ones that I'm not wearing anymore like my Victoria Secret undies that I brought back from the US. They're like 13 years old!! Hah!!

Dania has been fasting so far. The 1st day was a bitch; she kept inquiring about the time every 10 minutes! I was almost tempted to make her eat something just so she would shut up!! Fortunately it's been getting easier. She relishes the fact that she can get up whenever she wants to and watch cartoons all day. I don't know how she's gonna fare when school reopens next week but I've given her some motivation to fast the whole month; RM100 to put towards her new bike.

Dina, on the other hand, has been really cheeky. First she wanted to fast like her sister but of course that resolution lasted like 10 minutes. Then she's eating every single biscuit, cheese slice and banana right in front of her suffering sister! Sabar je la.

Daria...oh my, she's been such a delight. I can't remember if the others were this much fun when they were a baby but Daria has been such a thrill to come home to. She's so attentive and talkative and her smile lights up like a 1000 watt bulb. If you tickle her, she'll start chuckling and it's the most sweetest sound ever. When she wakes up in the morning, she doesn't cry but starts cooing for your attention. And her cheeks....bite sized!!

I had a seminar these last 2 days and I'm telling you, Ramadhan is not a good time for that kind of stuff. Eventhough the facilitator was really good, I was falling asleep half the time. Plus no lunch so what's the point of having a seminar in a hotel when we can't stuff ourselves during the lunch buffet?

We're going to my parents' place this Thursday and probably staying there until next Monday. How much are you willing to bet that my mom is gonna drag me to bridal outlets to look at more stuff for my brother's wedding? Anyone? Anyone? Bueller?

Oya, my mom's birthday is this Saturday. I have no idea what to get her. That women has everything she needs plus more. Sheesh...

I should really go get some shuteye now. Good nite folks.

Cerita Rumah Sewa Ayahku

Aku taip entri ni dalam Bahasa Melayu sebab kalau bab nak ngumpat orang, sangat best kalau dalam bahas ibunda. Ni bukan nak cite apa sangat pun, cuma nak luahkan perasaan pada sesetengah orang yang bangang yang sejak dua menjak ni dok call aku.

Parents aku ada beberapa buah rumah. Alhamdulillah la, rezeki depa. Ni bukan nak berlagak hal tu, tapi nak cite hal tenant2 budus yang dok rumah ayah aku.

Baru2 ni ada satu famili baru kluar dari rumah ayah aku kat Taman Medan. Memang bangang la tenant ni. Dah le menjahanamkan toilet, bleh salahkan ayah aku lak tu. Apa hal ko yang buat toilet bowl tu sampai terjongkit (terjongkit ok? Dia bagi gajah duduk apa?!!), yag ko nak salahkan ayah aku apahal? Orang lain duduk atas toilet bowl sopan je, ko duduk main hempas je pantat tu, mana tak terjongkit? Lepas tu bleh sound ayah lak..."bagi orang duduk rumah, tapi toilet macam tandas awam".

HELLLOOOO!!!

Kalau toilet tu dah macam tandas awam, ko sefamili le yang bikin. Agak kencing atas lantai tak jirus apa? Rumah tu cukup sempurna time ayah aku bagi ko duduk. Sengal punya manusia la.

Dah ni, dapat tau mamat ni tak pernah bayar bil letrik. Ayah aku pi check....RM4K lebih tertunggak!! Giloo apa? Agak selama dia duduk 2 tahun, memang dia tak pernah bayar bil agaknya. Yang kami orang heran, kenapa lak TNB tak pi potong letrik dia. So conclusion dia, time orang TNB mai nak potong, mamat ni bagi rasuah sket supaya jangan potong. And then, dia duduk free2 je letrik..dah kluar, jadi keje ayah aku lak kena pi TNB settlekan hal ni. Bila ayah aku bagitau dia hal ni, dia buat2 terkejut lak. Aku tepuk dahi tu kang, buat2 tak tau lak. Dah jadi panjang cite, last2 dia cakap ngan ayah aku..."Kami orang miskin, manade duit nak bayar bil api tu."

KEPALA HOTAK KO!!!

Kalau ko bayar bulan2 bil api tu, takde le tertunggak sampai RM4K lebih. Yang ko sefamili dok terbongkang dalam bilik aircon pasang full blast, ko tak terasa miskin lak time tu. Macam anak raja lak feeling ko. Memang hangin aku dibuatnya dok pikirkan orang sengal macam ni.

Ni ayah aku nak buat report polis and pasang lawyer, saman mamat bengong tu. Tapi tak tau la, dapat balik ke tidak duit ayah aku tu. Yang penting, aku akan bagi sokongan kepada ayah aku untuk sentiasa menyusahkan hidup mamat tu selagi tak settle hal ni.

Okla..itu bab mamat bontot bagak tu. Ni hal orang2 yang dok call hal rumah kosong tu plak.

Wei, kalau ko call aku, nak tanya hal rumah sewa, bleh tak bagi salam dulu. Ni tak..terus main sergah.."Rumah kosong tu berapa mintak?" Ek eleh..bila aku bagitau harga, ko sound aku balik..mahal!! Apa hal?!! Tak mampu tu, buat je la cara tak mampu. Pi ah carik rumah lain, aku tak paksa pun ko dok rumah ayah aku tu. Ada tu lak, pandai2 nak letak harga sendiri...lepas tu ajak jumpa nak sign agreement. Hek eleh, kalau jumpa, aku sekeh kepala tu sikit bleh? Ayah aku takde le kemaruk sangat nak sewakan rumah tu...kali ni nak carik tenant yang waras sket. Biar rumah tu kosong dari pening kepala ngan tenant mereng.

Tadi lak ada sorang mamat India call aku, tanyakan hal rumah tu. Cakap ok la, sopan semua tapi ayah aku dah letak syarat..only muslim family. Bila aku bagitau mamat tu, terus dia terasa...ooo, kalau Indian Christian tak bleh ka? Aku bagitau la..ayah aku takmo, nanti korang bela anjing ke, masak pakai minyak babi ke, susah kitaorang nak bersih kan. Terus dia sound aku...ingat kami orang kotor ke? Hek ele, bila masa lak aku cakap ko ni pengotor?!! Aku cakap lain, ko jangan nak twist words aku ok. Still aku bleh sabar lagi, cuba nak explain. Dah tu, dia bukak cite famili dia..parents dia dok mana ntah, dia keje mana ntah, rumah tu kat tengah2, senang dia..apa ntah..ada la 5 minit dia dok cite. Aku dah le tengah drive, hujan lak tu...antara dengar tak dengar je. Last2 aku bagitau...ok sir, I take your number and let my parents know. Kalau depa setuju, I call you.

Silap la aku nak call ayah aku, dah tau dah jawapan. Aku tunggu sejam dua..then sms mamat tu balik. Sori tapi ayah aku insist on Muslim famili. Hope you find another house soon. Mamat tu tak puas hati, terus call aku. Aku silentkan terus phone tu. Maleh nak layan.

Aku tak tau sampai bila aku nak kena layan phone call orang2 sengal yang dok carik rumah ni. Ibu aku pun satu, pi letak no telepon aku kat iklan tu apahal. Sabar je la. Mentang2 la aku ni garang sket and cerewet macam ayah aku. Hehehe..

An Eventful Weekend

My laptop is in the hospital. I dropped it on its head last Friday and while it was fine immediately after the "tragedy", a few hours later, it wouldn't let me click on any of the icons and wouldn't shut down. No amount of taking out the battery, stroking the keypad and hugging it tight made a difference. The Rescue team was fast to respond to my SOS; they took it away the very same day. Hopefully I'll get it back intact today. My only hope is that they salvage all the files. If those are gone, them I'm gonna retire!!

Last Friday was also eventful for Dina. She got bitten by a wasp!! In fact, it could have been several wasps if not for my heroic Bibik (maid). I was upstairs taking a bath when all this commotion happened so I didn't get to see it but according to Bibik, Dina was walking in front of our house and she started shaking the small coconut tree a few houses over. Apparently she didn't notice the wasp hive (hive ah?) and because of her shaking, several angry wasps came out and started attacking her. To make matters worst (or rather fortunate if you really think about it), Bibik was outside with Daria in a sling so she had one hand trying to shield Daria from the wasps and another one trying to swot them from Dina's head. Fortunately all three got into the house quickly but not before Dina got bit on the head and Bibik got bit on her arm. Thank god Daria was ok, if not she might have gotten bitten on her face!! Lahai anak ibu...sib baik Bibik cepat bertindak!

Hubby took Dina to the clinic immediately and she got a shot and medicine for the pain. Bibik didn't want to go at first but the next day her arm had swollen and started throbbing painfully, so in the end she relented and we took her to the clinic for her shot and some medicine. Sian tengok Bibik.

Today both of them are doing better. Alhamdulillah. The wasps nest/hive is still there. Hubby said he would call the fire department to remove it before any other kids got bitten by the wasps.

Yesterday my mom came by and took me and the girls to 1-Utama to meet a potential caterer for my brother's upcoming wedding. She was very nice and her menu so far is the best at such a reasonable price. My mom's 95% sure that she'll be taking that caterer so that's one more item to cross of the checklist. Next up will be searching for a make up artist and pelamin person. Oya, items for the hantaran...all done!! Hahaha...so advance.

Oya, yesterday Daria turned 3 months old. Guess how much she weighed? 6.9 kg!!! That's a 1.4kg increase since last month. Even the doctor couldn't believe it and had to check her scale to make sure it was calibrated correctly. Hahahha..no wonder my arm feels like its going to fall off after carrying her for a few minutes. Pergh...dasat anak ibu.

My Brother's Engagement Pictures

Since I'm fasting today and don't have to go out for lunch, I've decided to upload a few pictures of my brother's engagement ceremony. All pictures were taken by my 2nd brother so excuse the quality. Hehehe..jangan marah Alang.

The girls waiting for everyone to get ready for the journey to Ipoh. Daria not included because she got left behind. Sian dia...
Rombongan Cik Kiah. Haha. That's me in front with the all-important engagement ring. Other items included a cake, cloth for the wedding ceremony, chocolates, fruits, tepak sirih (what's this in English?) and wajik. Oya, this was the 1st time I wore a kebaya since I gave birth. Ketat sioottt!!
My mom placing the engagement ring on Zaiti's finger. Nice ring, huh?My mom blessing Zaiti after placing the ring. We all took turns to do this, myself included. I guess it's a Perak thing (merenjis time tunang)...ye ke?
Blessing my future sister-in-law.
Me and the girls and their future Mak Ngah. Look at Dina, refusing to smile properly!! Sabar je la..

Oya, you might be asking where my brother was during all this was taking place. Cooling his heels at the nearest mamak stall I guess. We only called him after everyone had finished eating. Hehehe..

A Fun Filled Saturday

Today I was hoping to be able to sleep in. However hubby reminded me "Got Sukaneka taman la today. Let's go!"

Hmm..laki aku ni, agak berkobar-kobar nak berkenalan ngan jiran. Good thing because I was not that into it. Tido lagi afdhal wei!!!

Anyhow, hubby took Dania and Dina to the field first while I breastfed Daria. Ala, taman depan rumah je pun. By the time I got there, the games had already started. The AJK had segregated the games according to ages; 5-6 years old, standard 1-3 and then standard 4-6. I saw Dania lining up waiting for her turn to play the games so I asked Dina, "Have they finished the games for 5-6 years old? Did you enter?"

Dina looked at me and said "It's too hot. Kaklong is entering on my behalf."

Boleh ke? Puteri lilin betul anak aku sorang ni!

While Dina and I sat under the canopy and mingled with the rest of the neighbours, hubby was busy coaching Dania on how to play the games (and win). She was great but alas her teammates were...how shall I say..very cautious. Sangat berhati-hati okkk. Bawak bola pingpong dalam sudu macam menatang anak. Hahahah...nevermind, all in the name of fun.

After the games for the kids were done, it was time for the adults to have some fun. Hubby entered the team games; filling bottles with water and carrying water balloons between your legs. Hehehe, it sure was funny seeing grown men trying to handle water balloons between their groins and then trying to walk from one end of the badminton court to the other. Unfortunately hubby didn't get a chance to show his "talent" because his teammate before him burst the water balloon before it was his turn. Terus disqualified.

Then it was time for the couples. Hubby dragged me onto the court. Heeee, first game; throwing a water balloon back and forth without letting it burst. WE GOT 3RD PLACE!! Hahahaha...ok la, eventhough I nearly got soaked by the water balloon. For the second game, the husband had to be blindfolded and the wife had to call him from the other side of the court. The first husband who got to his wife won. WE GOT 2ND PLACE!! Hahahaha...best, best.

It was a fun morning and eventhough I didn't get to sleep in as originally planned, we all had a blast.
Dania getting ready for the water balloon match. And yes, before you even ask, she is STILL wearing her pajamas. I didn't want to have to bathe her twice so I just asked the girls to wash their faces and brush their teeth before going.
Dania showing her talent holding a spoon with a pingpong ball between her teeth. I was just about to snap this picture when that kid rush out in front of me. For a dude his size, he sure was fast.

Hubby, Dania's coach for the day. Hehe.

Wah..Dania got #2 for one of the games. Yeah!!
Hubby giving his all during the "fill the bottle with water" event. Hehehe..
Getting ready for the couple's water balloon event. See how nervous I am holding the balloon. Pegang je pun dah macam nak pecah!!

Breasts, Engagement and the Girls

I've been so busy with work, I've neglected my blog. Sob. So much has happened these past weeks that I'll just give a short recap of what I can remember.

I got mastitis...again!! Argh!! The doctor said it was most probably due to stress. I cannot help but agree. Since I returned from maternity leave, it's been full speed ahead non stop. While it has been god to be back, it has affected my health some what. Fortunately that hacking cough of mine has finally subsided. However, my milk supply has dropped drastically. Uhuk...stress, stress.

Speaking of milk supply, I've started taking fenugeek seeds as a way to increase it. So far, it;s been a slow progress but every drop counts. It's been a challenge trying to fit in pumping sessions at work but I've managed to time them so I can pump 3 times a day; once in the morning, once after lunch and once before I go back home. I carry my milk bag everywhere I go, especially if my meetings are outside of the office. I'm still targeting 6 months to breastfeed Daria, hopefully I can make it for a whole year. But let's take it one day at a time. And here's hoping the fenugeek seeds really kick in some time soon.

Oya, my brother got engaged last Saturday. Congratulations Angah and his fiance, Zaiti. It was a joyous occasion, quite a number of our relatives were able to follow us to Ipoh for the ceremony. We all slept at my parent's house the night before and headed off to Ipoh around 10.30am that Saturday morning. I think there were 5 cars altogether; Car 1: my dad, my mom, moi and my 2 girls (we left Daria at my mom's house with my maid). Car 2: hubby and my 2 youngest brothers. Car 3: my makteh, her 2 daughters (Dr Aina and Aqilah) and my other cousin, Ema who was representing my other aunt who couldn't come because her son had a fever. Car 4: my makngah, her 2 daughters and her youngest son. Car 5: my maksu and her family.
We targeted to arrive in Ipoh for lunch but thanks to the roadblocks that were on the road that day (ISA punya pasal), we arrived at nearly 2pm. My mom was frantic. She was already nervous about the whole "placing of the ring" part of the ceremony. The fact that we were late put her into overdrive panic mode. However, once we got there, everything went ahead without a hitch, though my mom did nearly drop the ring because her hand was shaking so much. Hahahaha, we all had a good laugh about it later.

Oya, pictures pending from my brother who was the unofficial photographer. Which means they'll be ready next year. Hmmm....

Dania had her exams (again?) and so far her result has been really good. Dina's also doing well at school. She's returned to her previous self, though she does strive for more attention once in a while. Daria is just blooming. That girl is growing up so fast, I just don't want to take my eyes off of her. I remember when she was just born, her feet were the length of my pinkie finger. Now, they're even longer than my middle finger! I can't wait to see how much she'll weigh during her 3 month check up.