Shayen Iman's 1st Birthday

Last weekend my nephew turned ONE. Oh how time flies. He's such a big handsome boy now. My brother and SIL held the small birthday party at their home, inviting family and friends. Enjoy the pictures.

The candy bar!! Seriously, the cause of my kids' hyperness for the rest of the weekend.

Hotlips!!

Who's moustache is this?

Glamer gal!!

More food!! Tons of jelly, which again my kids loved.

We got lamb!! And lots of mint sauce...I like!!

The birthday boy with his Paklang and friends. Born to be famous!!

The birthday cake, made by Aida. I asked my SIL if there was any theme, she just said anything blue. So I had a baby boy in blue sitting on a football, since my bro is a football fanatic. Sib baik tak dengki soh letak flag Liverpool or Arsenal. Hehehee.

Close up of the candy bar. Tengok pun dah sakit gigi.

We even had an ice cream fridge with lots of topping.

On her 4th bowl of ice cream.

Have we had enough candy yet? 



It Really Is The Thought That Counts...

Tadi masa tengah meeting, aku dapat mesej dari ayah.

Ayah: Happy birthday.

Aku: Ayah!! Birthday along 15 May la..bukan 15 June..hahahaha, but thanx for the wishes.

5 minit kemudian...


Ayah: Ok..belated!!

Happy 10th Birthday Dania Jazmin

My eldest daughter is 10 today. TEN!! Double digits!! How is that possible. She's still just a baby. Before I know it, pretty soon she'll be going to boarding school, then university, then she'll be getting a job, getting married, having kids.....uwaaaa!!

This is way too soon for me.

The kids are away at their Grandparent's house and I miss them madly. Their Maksu has promised to take them for a movie today and also to buy Dania a birthday cake.

I still can't over the fact she's all grown up. Grown up into a beautiful, wonderful, amazing daughter that I'm so proud of.

Happy 10th birthday, Dania Jazmin. We love you so much.

Hugs and kisses,

Ibu.

Dina's 7th Birthday Bash

I better write about this before it becomes stale. We had the birthday bash last Saturday at home. It was a small occasion, we invited only a few of Dina's friends and classmates. After much deliberation, we decided on a theme...

ANGRY BIRDS!!!!

Did you make the bird sound when you read that? Hahaha..

We set the party to start at around 11am and end at 2pm. I figured 3 hours of having a house full of hyper kids was enough.

The first activity lined up was a coloring activity. I had printed out several pictures of the angry birds (and some pigs) and pasted them onto manila card boards. I also had several small angry bird pictures the kids could paste onto their finished product. I made sure there were enough crayons and color pencils to go around. This activity was great because it kept the kids in one section of the living room, relatively quiet. Heee.

Then it was cake time. We had to wait for my brother and SIL to arrive as I had asked Aida to pass the cake to them.

The cake was a hit with the kids! And Dina was so happy. Everyone ooohh'ed and ahhh'ed at the small birds and pigs, complete with slings and tiny bird eggs to go.

A picture together before everyone sang Happy Birthday. That dude on the far left is my 3 month old nephew. How cute is he?? Oya, those angry bird t-shirts the girls are wearing was bought that morning. Hahahha..last minute purchase from the shop across the road. Sib baik ada.

This picture was taken and edited by my brother using his iPhone. I love it coz it looks like a sketch. Also Daria looks extra chubby in this photo..haha.

Daria the Destroyer messed up the cake before we could stop her. Luckily she only messed up the letters and not the cake itself.

The kids were all trying to "book" a bird to eat. Hahaha..I told them to share, the birds were made out of pure sugar!! The last thing I need is more hyper kids in the house.

Everyone have cake!!

Here's Min with her 2 nieces (pink dresses). She was only one of the two adults who stayed throughout the party. The rest just dropped off their kids at the gate. She was suppose to come as General Pig but her pig snout paper mache project became an epic fail. Reluctantly, I let her stay for cake. :P

After cake, was a game I called "Kill the Water Bottle Pigs". Basically I had printed out pictures of the free pig and taped them to a few empty water bottles. The kids had to try to knock all of the "pigs" down using the angry bird plush toys I had bought for the party.

A simple game but the kids had a blast! It looked easy but was a bit tough for the smaller kids. In the end, we lumped all the water bottles close together, to make sure everyone had a chance to "kill" all of the pigs. I gave out angry bird erasers as prizes for those who succeeded.

The games were only meant for the kids but apparently someone didn't get the memo. Siap tak bagi budak potong line tu..sabar je la. Hahhaha..

Early signs of too much sugar in her system. Huaarrggghhhhhh!!!

Once everyone had succeeded in winning an eraser, we moved on to opening the presents. Dina got a lot of really cool stuff. Lots of stationary and color pencils to last her a lifetime. Hahaha.

Around 1.30pm, the party started to wind down. I gave each kid a helium balloon to take back home.

Together with a party pack. Each kid got an angry bird stationary set, an angry bird notebook and a lollipop.

While waiting for the parents to come, Dina and her friends took some pictures outside, with the plush toys.

My girls. Sigh...they're growing up way too fast.

Menu-wise, I kept it simple. Bihun with egss, nuggets, egg sandwiches, multicolored jellies and cake. For drinks, I made punch. I bought some colorful plastic cups (red and yellow) to tie in the angry bird theme.

We played a few more games since some parents were a bit late in picking up their kids. We played "Put the Birds Back in their Nest". Basically I took the box the cake came in and asked the kids to try and throw the plush toys into it. Anyone who could get at least 2 birds into the box got an extra lollipop. After that, we played "Bomber Angry Bird" which was a varied version of Pass the Ball. I used my iPad to play the Angry Bird theme song as the music for the game.

All in all, the party was a success. The kids had fun, the adults got to eat in peace and Dina was very, very happy. Here's to another birthday party next year..well, maybe.

ANGRY BIRDS!!!!

Last Weekend...

Well, the Westlife concert was fun. Despite the fact I knew and could sing along to only 3 of their songs. They have a new album?! Sigh...so not up to date. Anyway, thanks to Noresh for dragging me there. Was a nice change of pace for me.

On Saturday, we had Dina's birthday party. And I'm happy to report that everything went fine!! In fact, the kids had so much fun, doing the coloring activity, playing the "kill the pigs" game, the "send the birds home" game and the "bomber bird" game. Oh, and they lorrvvveeeed the cake!! Thanks to Aida for all her hard work. And thanks to all those that came. Dina was grinning ear to ear the whole time, she was very happy to say the least.

I have pictures and videos for all of the above but will have to wait until later to upload. Work-a-calling!!

A Full Week..

Yesterday: Sent off my parents for Haj. Uwwaaaa....they'll be gone for 45 days. I miss them already!! My mom was showing me where she kept all her jewelry and stuff, in case they don't come back and I was like "I don't care about your jewelry!! Wadda ya mean you might not come back??!!!"
UWWWAAAAA!!!!

Today: Dimsum dinner date with hubby. We bought the coupon via Groupon since FOREVER but only now have the time to redeem it. I hope it's worth it. Hubby's a dimsum freak so he's looking forward to the meal. I'll reserve my opinion until later.

Tomorrow: I have class and tons to read up on still.

Thursday: Assignment #2 due! Haven't started a thing yet but they say procrastinators always churn out the best work when they're stressed. Muahahahhaa,..

Friday: I'm going to see Westlife!! Wuuhuuu!! I haven't been to a cencert since FOREVER. Must brush up on my Westlife lyrics...nanti dapat nyanyi setakat chorus je.

Saturday: Dina's birthday party!! Have bought some stuff for decorations and goody bags but still need to do the invitation cards and other stuff.

Sunday: Really need to concentrate on studying!! 1st SM exam is the following week. Mati la, satu haprak pun tak prepare lagi!!

Time To Start Planning

We've decided on a theme for Dina's birthday party. Since we intend to keep it small (just invite her friends selected classmates), I intend to make it a bit more memorable in terms of decorations, games and party gifts. Thing is.....do I have the time?!!

I've been surfing sites all day collecting ideas. I would really love to have (make?) a pinata but I seriously doubt my creative talent in that area. I'm keeping the food simple because kids do not come to parties to eat. Hahhaha...but I'll have something for the adults, just in case the parents would like to stop by.

Dina's been looking forward to her party for months so I really hope everything goes as planned and that she'll have a great time celebrating with family and friends.

Ideas for Dina's Birthday Party

I’m trying to find ideas for Dina’s 7^th birthday party. I promised her one if she fasted full this year and boy, am I regretting that now. A few reasons: my parents will be going for Haj again this year so I need to do the party either this weekend (too short of a notice) or next weekend. Dina wants a themed birthday party but she hasn’t decided on a theme yet. Actually she did but she came up with a mermaid concept and I was like “I am NOT going to put a swimming pool in front of the house for you and your friends to flop around in.” She doesn’t want a Princess Party just because we already did that for Dania’s birthday 3 years back.

So, I’ve been surfing around and bugging Min for ideas. So far, I have the following options: 1) A Pirate Party 2) A Sports Party 3) A Magic Party (ala Harry Potter). Other ideas that were thrown out were 1) Superheroes Party coz surprisingly there aren’t as many female superheroes as much as male ones, plus the ones I thought of were way too sexy (Catwoman / Wonderwoman) 2)Avatar/Smurfs party because eventhough I love blue, I don’t to have my guests paint themselves blue! Plus Avatar sucks!! That’s right, I went there!! I don’t care if some people think that there are real Navi people out there or that Pandora is real…Avatar is all graphics and no storyline. Eat that, James Cameron!!

OK, anyway, back to the party. So yeah, I have 3 choices which are relatively easy for the guest to dress up for and for me to arrange some simple games and prizes for the kids. I intend to make it small, just have Dina invite her classmates. I have school, people!! Weekends are for catching up on sleep.

I’m still open for ideas on the party though..so if anyone has any, please share!

A Birthday Note to Daria Syazmin - Two Years Old

My Dearest Daria,

Last week you turned two years old. Two!! Where has all the time gone? How is it possible that I can still remember the day you came into our lives in vivid color and yet here you are in front of me, no longer a baby.

What can I say about you turning two? The fact that you still speak baby talk is one thing. I love the fact you can ramble off long sentences, assuming people actually understand you. The animated look on your face as you describe what you did during the day never fails to lift my spirits. Your hand gestures, and funny laugh at the end of the story amuses me to no end.

You use the fact that you're the baby of the family to your full advantage. But seriously, who can stay mad at you long when you make that funny face with your hands over your eyes and then laugh and hug us tight.

You're still mad about Upin Ipin and Mickey Mouse, you're constantly chanting "betul, betul, betul" or "Ishka, ushka, iki oush!!" You've learned to use the TV remote like a pro, changing channels and looking at the TV guide menu, as if you understand. Ever since you learned how to maneuver the Tablet, no one else has been able to use it. You play Angry Birds with that constant frown on your face, looking cutely serious at the pigs that wouldn't die. Utube is your permanent website to go to, with abundances of Upin Ipin videos and princess songs.

My little baby elephant,

As much as I'm amazed at the rate you are growing, it also fills me with fret. What I wouldn't give to keep you like this for just a little while longer. You're already so independent; climbing the stairs like a pro, rummaging through the kitchen drawers looking for items to "cook" with, sitting down with your books beside your sisters as they do their homework. You still want to sit on my lap when we watch TV together, you still want me to carry you when we enter an elevator, you still want me to hold you tight whenever there's a thunderstorm; I fear those days will not be around for long.

My beautiful Syazmin,

Everytime I look at you, I think of all the suffering and frustrations your father and I went through before you came along. I look at you and I see a miracle baby. Someone who came along when hope for another baby was lost. Someone who came along when we least expected. Someone who came along when we needed it the most.

And for that, I am eternally grateful and blessed.

Happy 2nd Birthday, Comel.

Love, Ibu.

Birthday Surprise...

..indeed it was. Everyone has been so busy lately at work, that even I didn't think much about my birthday. Plus since it actually fell on a Sunday, by the time Monday came about, the thought of celebrating had passed.

I had a meeting in Cyber in the morning. My staff sms'ed me to ask when I would be coming back to the office; the ruse was to have a preliminary discussion before our 230pm meeting. Hah...rupanya nak tau bila bleh makan?! My boss and my staff bought tons of pizza and a BIG cake as a surprise. Alahai...terharu beta!

Picture time!

See? Siap tulis jawi tu. I don't know what the hidden message behind that is...that I'm so old that I read in jawi. Hehehehe..Plus, initially there was one additional candle on the cake. Uwaaaa...tapi takpe..janji cake sodap...ko letak la 100 candle pun takpe. Hee.

My staff, Asrol, presenting me with the cake.

Gigih memotong kek. Sebelah tu plastic beg penuh ngan pizza. Wuuhuu!!

*note: pix courtesy from Hajar a.k.a Ofis Diva. Heee...tq dik.

Happy 35th Birthday....

...to me.

ps: Also happy birthday to my friends Rina and Amani who share the month of May with me. Babes, we may be getter older, but it doesn't mean we're getting any less hotter. Hahahahaha...!! Also happy birthday to all May babies...may Allah bless all of you.

Typical Monday

Today is Dina's 6th Birthday. Which we celebrated yesterday during my brother's doa selamat event at his apartment. It was a joyous event, marked with good food and great company. My SIL's family also were there, complete with all the nieces and nephews so the girls had a great time playing together. I'll post up more about the occasion in another entry, complete with pictures (Dina's Birthday Note!).

Today I'm fasting again. This time to replace the days I couldn't fast during Ramadhan. I don't know if it's the fasting or the fact I woke up early for sahur and to bake En Rashid's bread pudding, but my mind was not where it should be this morning. I had already reached the office when my maid called; I had taken the 3rd set of keys with me, thus they had no keys to open the door for Dania and Dian when they come back from school.

Shhhiiiittttt!!!!!

Good thing I hadn't paid for parking yet. I called up my boss and explained the situation. Thank god she was understanding and let me work from the office near my home. I made a u-turn then drove back home to pass the keys to my maid.

Part of me just wanted to break fast and maybe gain some energy. But I know it wasn't the fasting that made me forgetful. It's just the fact that I'm getting OLD!!

Muahahahaha...(gelak sedapkan hati sendiri).

A Birthday Note to Daria Syazmin - One Year Old

My dearest Daria,

Last Sunday you turned 1 year old. In a way it seems like you just entered our lives but already we cannot imagine our lives without you. You are our miracle baby; the one who came along just when Abah and I were ready to give in, after 3 miscarriages and a lot of grievances.

I can still remember the day we found out I was expecting; the news was unexpected and frightening but at the same time, we felt blessed that God decided to give us another child. As expected, carrying you in my tummy for 9 months was not a walk in the park. Just reading through my posts during that time is enough to make me nauseous.
I can still remember your birth like it was yesterday. The fact you were overdue was something new as your sisters all came several days before their due date. I think your Abah was more anxious that I was; he kept making me walk everywhere, trying to induce you to come out. But being the hard headed little girl you are, you wouldn’t come out until a day after my birthday.

But what an incredible belated birthday present you were! Even the doctor and the nurses couldn’t get over how much hair you had or how cute your little button nose was. Unfortunately your jaundice level was rather high so for the first few days, I saw you strictly during feeding time.

The day we could finally take you home was such a joyous one. Your sisters were so excited, even Bibik was looking forward to seeing you. Your Abah drove us home and when we got there, your Wan had made everything ready for us.

Confinement was tiring but also satisfying because I had to spend every walking minute with you. I was there when you had your first hair cut (or rather hair buzz since your Abah shaved all your beautiful hair off!). I was there when you slept on your tummy for the first time. I was there when you once passed gas so loudly, it took a lot to convince your Abah that I wasn’t the culprit. Even from such an early age, you were showing your cheeky side.

The following months went by like lightning. At 3 months, you were rolling on your tummy by yourself. At 5 ½, you were crawling. At nine months, you were standing without support and at ten, you were walking. Now, you’re running everywhere at an alarming speed. Slow down, little girl, slow down!!

My Beautiful Tumblelina,

Day by day, you never cease to amaze me with your antics. The way you climb the stairs without fear. The way you shout for my attention when you wake up in the morning. The way you smile, such a huge smile, when I come home from work everyday. The way you laugh when your sisters chase you from the kitchen to the living room and back. The way you can sit and play on the swings for hours with a bored look on your face but scream the very minute I try to take you down.

Your appetite is amazing for such a small girl; you'll eat anything put in front of you. In a way, it's a blessing, it doesn't take much to make you happy but sometimes we have to hide food from you coz you just WON'T STOP EATING! You're our little monster, always with biscuit crumbs or a milk mustache on your face. I love that you still want to breastfeed; I cherish those "you & me only" moments even if they come at 2 in the morning.

Compared to your sister, you've been such a resilient baby. You've hardly ever been really sick. The only time you made us worry was when you came down with the measles; even then your appetite was normal and you were smiling with all these reds spot all over you.

My beloved Blossom,

Sorry that your birthday celebration was so low key. Everyone was still recovering from your Pak Ngah's wedding. I hope you loved your birthday cake, I made sure it had your favorite cartton characters, Upin & Ipin. Thanks to Wan for lending her home and also to everyone else who was there to eat up the cake and sing Happy Birthday to you.

My Little Princess,

I can't begin to describe the amount of joy and happiness you've brought into our lives. Your laughter fills the house and makes the day so much brighter. Forgive me if Ibu or Abah have ever been crossed with you or have seemed too busy to play with you. There will come a day when we'll be wishing for the days where you'll take your book and sit on my lap to hear me read it to you. Until that day comes, just come and sit on my lap anytime sayang. I'll be here always to give you a hug and plenty of kisses.

Happy 1st birthday, Syazmin.


Love, ibu.