38 Weeks & Dina's School Report

I'm official 38 weeks today. Lord, is this pregnancy taking forever!! At my last checkup on Saturday, the baby weighed in at 3.2kg. Perghh!! No wonder I can no longer walk. My left leg is acting up, feels like all my ligaments have gone soft and can't take the additional weight any longer. This may be my last week at work. Eventhough my new staff has yet to arrive, it's becoming harder and harder to drag myself out of bed in the morning. What with the leg cramps, maybe I should just try working from home starting next month. Hopefully my boss will ok my request.

Last Saturday was also Parent-Teachers day for Dina's school. We went early but apparently so did a lot of parents. We didn't have to wait that long though since the teacher only allocated 10 minutes per student. We were very pleased with the feedback Dina's teacher gave her; hardworking, very smart, does her work quickly, top marks in all her exams (she's a geek like her mom!!). She scored excellent marks in Spelling and Mathematics. However, she needs to brush up on her communication skills since her teacher commented that Dina was rather quiet in class compared to her other classmates. Dina...quiet??!! Hmmm...will have to investigate further. Her teacher did comment that she liked to sing but would only answer a question if the teacher asked her directly.

Anyhow, both hubby and I are very proud of our little one. Bravo Dina!!

Review - Wizard's First Rule

I know I was supposed to update my blog during the weekend. I apologize but in our haste to get to my mom’s house on Friday, I forgot to bring my laptop along. Duh!!

So while I didn’t get to do any blogging, I did however get to read this really great book, courtesy of my brother. The book was titled “Wizard’s First Rule”, written by Terry Goodkind. If you liked Eragon (the book, not the movie), then this book may appeal to you too.

The story is mainly about this guy, named Richard Cypher, who finds out he’s destined to be a True Seeker. What exactly that is takes too long to explain but he joins forces with the heroin of the book, Kahlan who is the Mother Confessor (again, you have to read the book to find out what that is) and some of his friends, Zedd and Chase. Together they need to defeat the evil Darken Rahl, a mighty wizard who is trying to use the Boxes of Orden to gain power to rule the entire land (kind of like Dr. Evil from Austin Powers, only not that funny).

So there’s lots of magic and good vs evil in the book and the way Terry writes it makes you feel like you’re in the battlefield at times. You can visualize the Mud People’s village and imagine flying on the back of a Red Dragon. You feel Richard’s pain and agony when he’s captured and tortured by Mord-Sith. Most importantly you can sense the sexual tension between the two main characters and almost wish from the start they end up together. Whether or not they do in the end, I won’t reveal here but I love the way the characters are built.

Apparently the book has been adapted into a mini series called Legends of the Seeker. I found some clips on YouTube and the guy that plays Richard is HOT!! Hahahaha. The plot seems to have diverted a bit from the book, in terms of time and storyline. I guess since it’s a mini series, not a movie, the producers want to drag the storyline out a bit.

Check out the hero below.
This is Richard with Kahlan. Ignore the gal. Imagine it's me instead...hehehe.

The guy playing Richard's character is Craig Horner. Which is kind of ironic coz I get horny just looking at him. Muahahahaha...!!
Super Yummy!!!

Plans for the Weekend

Hubby is away for a 3-day teambuilding session in Lumut. I told him if I deliver early, he has to make his way back in time, whatever means possible if he wants any rights in naming the baby. Haahhaa…

Since I can’t drive anymore, I got my brother to send me back home, pick up the kids and take us to my mom’s house. My mom is ecstatic that we are all sleeping at her house; it’s been a while since we’ve been anywhere but our own home during the weekends.

It’s not that I don’t like sleeping over at my parents place (or my in-laws for that matter). It’s just that I prefer to stay at home, where it’s nice and cool and I can lounge around commando style (hahahaha).

I intend to use this weekend to update all my old (and stale) posts and pictures. I owe posts on the following:

1) Our trip to KL Bird Park. We had fun!!
2) Hubby’s birthday celebration. Not what I had originally planned but we still had fun.
3) Dania’s exam results and her reward for being as smart as her mom. :D.

Luckily my afternoon meeting got cancelled so I can use the time to write up the minutes of this morning’s meeting. Yes, that is my work life…meeting after meeting after meeting, with the occasional workshop thrown in to spice it up.

I can’t wait to go for maternity leave. Hehehehe…

36 weeks...

I'm still at the office, waiting for hubby to finish his meeting. Jeez, why do these people like to start meetings at 6pm, when office hours is until 5.30pm? Get a life people!! The world won't stop turning if you go back on time once in a while.

I myself, just finished a 2-day workshop session. Luckily this time, it was held on the 50th floor of the office, not some remote resort somewhere. My head hurts from all that brainstorming, plus it's becoming increasingly uncomfortable for me to sit for long hours.

I am huge. Seriously. I walk into the elevator, and people stop having conversations to stare at my tummy. You can almost hear what they're thinking.

"OMG, she has a basketball under her blouse!"
"She's having twins, for sure. Or triplets."
"It's amazing she can still stay vertical."

People in the office keep asking me when I'm going off for maternity leave. I wish I could but I have so much to settle before I can take leave. First on my list is getting my new staff in and settled down. I have a few interview sessions lined up for potential candidates next week, hopefully I'll find reliable people to handle my product whilst I'm away.

My last scan was last Saturday. Despite the cramp environment, the baby is still moving actively. Good in a sense, but not when I'm trying to sleep at night. Add to the fact I need to pee every 20 minutes because the baby has descended down and keeps on pushing against my bladder. Arghhh. I've thought about wearing adult diapers a couple of times, just so I don't have to walk to the toilet so often. Seriously.

We still don't know the sex of the baby. During the last scan, the baby wouldn't even turn to face us, so all we got to see was the back of its head. It has a full set of hair already. It weighs 2.4kg so plus all the water and placenta, I'm carrying around 3kg up front. It IS amazing I can stay vertical!!

I'm still eating like a horse eventhough I can't take large portions at one go. Constipation comes and goes but I have medication for that, so not a major problem. Leg cramps have been happening more often, especially in the morning when I forget myself and stretch. Hurts like hell!!

I can't wait for this pregnancy to be over eventhough I'm a little anxious about labour. I've already discussed with my doctor on pain medication (no epidural, just gas and air) and although I've had easy (relatively speaking) labours before, there's a part of me that's worried something might go majorly wrong with this one. Fingers crossed and prayers to Allah, nothing will.

I'll write again when I have the time and energy. Who knows, maybe next time I might have a new bundle of joy in my arms. Until then, take care everyone.

Our Free Trip to the Zoo

Today I took EL because Dania was sick with the fever. She had started to burn up last night so when this morning she started vomiting and having diarrhea, I couldn't bring myself to leave her at home without Mommy's TLC.


I'm taking the time to write a little bit about our trip to the National Zoo 2 weeks back. The last time we went, Dina was only 6 months old, so this time she was really excited about seeing all her favorite animals.


As I mentioned, this time the trip was free, thanks to the fact our company was having a product launching there. However, due to the unbelievable traffic jam we encountered, we arrived late and had to beg our way in without the tickets. Luckily, people are really sympathetic to extremely pregnant ladies (hee!!) so we were allowed entrance.
We saw this on the way there. The girls were mystified as to how the tap was floating in the air.

We headed directly to the picnic area as that was where the launching had taken place.
Things were already in full swing so we spent a few minutes there, saying hi to our colleagues who were on duty (thank GOD I don't have to do that anymore!!) and also taking a few pictures with the celebrities there. Dania was rather excited seeing her favorite "uncle" there; Idham from the hilarious family drama "Bong".

We then made our way around the zoo. We saw the bears, the deers, some mountain goats, the huge tortoises, and the reptiles.
The highlights of the day obviously were the elephants and giraffes. The girls loved them!! There was a small stall next to the elephants' pen selling sugar cane that you could feed the elephants with. Dania wanted to feed the elephant but the drain separating her with the elephant was just to wide for her to reach.

I was getting really tired with all the walking (in fact, I was beginning to see stars!!) that I begged hubby to buy tickets for the tram so we could see the rest of the animals.
Eventhough we only got to see glimpses of the tigers and lions, the girls enjoyed the ride very much. After the tram ride, I took the girls back to the Children's Barn. The girls took pictures with the ponies, cows, rabbits and goats there.



Here are some videos of the girls telling me what they saw at the zoo. Sorry coz they are sideways, I have no idea how to make them right side up. Enjoy!!

Almost To Funny To Be True

3 days of brainstorming during the workshop has fried my brain. To reset my state of mind, I present to you funny things I read/found out.

Student suspended for passing gas on bus: Driver writes up teen on misbehavior form; eighth-grader denies offense

LAKELAND, Fla. - An eighth-grader was suspended from riding the school bus for three days after being accused of passing gas.

The bus driver wrote on a misbehavior form that a 15-year-old teen passing gas on the bus on March 16 to make the other children laugh, creating a stench so bad that it was difficult to breathe. The bus driver handed the teen the suspension form the next day.

Polk County school officials said there's no rule against flatulence, but there are rules against causing a disturbance on the bus.


The teen, Jonathan Locke Jr., said he wasn't the culprit.

"It wasn't even me," Locke told The Ledger newspaper. "It was a kid who sits in front of me."
Whether he did it or not, he might have gotten off easy. A 13-year-old student at a Stuart school was arrested in November after authorities said he broke wind in class.


Holy crap, if that isn't the funniest, most insane thing I've read in a while. Isn't it considered healthy to "let go" of wind in your stomach? Plus, what the heck could the boy have ate to cause such a stench? Hadn't the bus driver ever thought of just opening the window? So many questions....hahahhaha...

Image of the day

Here's something to test your quick mind. See if you can see what's MAJORLY wrong with the picture below? More points if you see it in 10 seconds.

Quick facts about the photo: It was posted in Ebay as the seller wanted to sell off his old dining table.

Post your answers in the comments. Heheee...

Tired

Why is it you always feel more tired after a long holiday? Or is it just me?


This is how I feel nowadays.
Or like this.
Minus the beer bottle, of course.

It doesn't help I have meetings and workshops scheduled everyday this week and the next. HELP!!!!

Personality Test

I took this self exam after reading about it at JAD's blog. Although I don't believe much in online self exams, I do think some tend to make you sit back and think about yourself and important stuff going on.

My results are as below:

Your view on yourself:
You are down-to-earth and people like you because you are so straightforward. You are an efficient problem solver because you will listen to both sides of an argument before making a decision that usually appeals to both parties.
I know this to be true. I'm the type that doesn't side a person just because he/she is my friend. I can recall many a times when I've been asked to be the "referee" by two disagreeing parties. Most of the times I don't take sides but try to help both parties see the other person's side of the story.

The type of girlfriend/boyfriend you are looking for:
You like serious, smart and determined people. You don't judge a book by its cover, so good-looking people aren't necessarily your style. This makes you an attractive person in many people's eyes.
I guess this true also. I don't know about the last line (hehehe...*blush).

Your readiness to commit to a relationship:
You are ready to commit as soon as you meet the right person. And you believe you will pretty much know as soon as you meet that person.
This is so true. I knew I wanted to marry hubby because I was ready for a serious relationship, it was the right time and because he was the right person for me.

The seriousness of your love:
You like to flirt and behave seductively. The opposite sex finds this very attractive, and that's why you'll always have admirers hanging off your arms. But how serious are you about choosing someone to be in a relationship with?
I don't know about this one. I've had girlfriends tell this about me, the fact that I like to flirt sometimes but I must be doing it subconsciously. Like I said, when I chose hubby, it was a serious decision. There was no beating around the bush or anything. It was either we get married or not be together at all.

Your views on education:
Education is very important in life. You want to study hard and learn as much as you can.
I wish this would still apply now. I would really like to further my studies and do my Masters but right now, other things seem to take precedent. Maybe when the kids are older, I'll reconsider.

The right job for you:
You're a practical person and will choose a secure job with a steady income. Knowing what you like to do is important. Find a regular job doing just that and you'll be set for life.
Stability is very important for me. I don't have to live the life of the Rich and Famous. I'm content with having a modest roof over my head and enough food on the table.

How do you view success:
Success in your career is not the most important thing in life. You are content with what you have and think that being with someone you love is more than spending all of your precious time just working.
So true!!!

What are you most afraid of:
You are concerned about your image and the way others see you. This means that you try very hard to be accepted by other people. It's time for you to believe in who you are, not what you wear.
This used to be true. The old me would die if I found out anyone didn't like me or hated me. It would bug me to no end. Nowadays, I've learned that you can't please everybody. The only people that matter are yourself and the people you love.

Who is your true self:
You are mature, reasonable, honest and give good advice. People ask for your comments on all sorts of different issues. Sometimes you might find yourself in a dilemma when trapped with a problem, which your heart rather than your head needs to solve.
If this were true, that would be very nice indeed. Heee...

You can try the exam for yourself here. Have fun!!

Three Things I’m Saving Up For

There are currently 3 things on my To Buy list. I’m sure there’s actually more than 3 but these things are what I’m actively searching for.

1. Transition eyewear
I used to wear contact lenses but after numerous times of losing them, either dropping them on the floor or losing them in my eye (!!!), I decided to just wear glasses. So far, glasses work for me and it’s more economical. No need to buy contact lenses cleaners and stuff like that.
However, lately I’ve been driving a bit during the day and the sunlight has really been bothering me. I’ve been thinking about buying sunglasses with power in the lenses, but then I saw the ads for transition lenses. They basically change from normal to dark lenses when you’re out in the sun. All the better, no need to carry around 2 or more glasses with me all the time. I checked a few stores regarding the price; it would cost me around RM600++ to change the lenses in my current glasses and more if I wanted to change the frame also. I plan to just buy them this week and hope I can opt for the 6 or 12 months interest free payment plan.

2. A dressing table
At our old home, I didn’t have a dressing table because our master bedroom was kind of small. Since our new master bedroom is much bigger, I’ve been thinking of buying a dressing table so I don’t have to put on my make up and tudung in the bathroom. I’m looking for something simple and with a few drawers. As for my budget, the dressing table should cost no more than RM500, complete with mirror. Oya, the bigger the mirror, the better. Hehehe. A few samples are shown as below. I like the first design the best; clean and simple. Plus the colour scheme matches our bed and wardrobe. The 2nd one I like because it has a lot of drawers though I can't think of what I would put in them. The 3rd one is just a funky, fun design for a dressing table that would certainly be a converstaion starter piece if I could ever find one.












3. A pearl ring
This is rather surprising considering I don’t particularly like buying or wearing jewelry of any kind. However, ever since that day I saw a magnificent piece of pearl earrings at the Penang International airport last year, I’ve been harboring this desire to own a piece of pearl jewelry. Since a authentic pearl necklace would probably cost too much and earrings don’t make much sense since I wear a tudung, I thought maybe a black pearl ring would be nice. Why black? Because I like to be different plus a black pearl ring looks sexier, don’t you think? Oya, budget again not more than RM500. Can get ah? A few samples are shown as below. I like the 1st design because it looks very exclusive but I think too many diamonds might take away the focus from the pearl. The 2nd design looks very simple and I like that the pearl is not jutting out on top of the ring. However I like the 3rd design best as it's simple and classic and the diamonds complement the pearl.

A Very Short Update

Sorry for abandoning my blog for so long. Work has been busy and when I get a time to rest, I’m poofed out on the couch or on bed. Late pregnancy really has slowed me down to the point I’m dragging my feet when I walk.

Topics I need to blog on when I have the time and energy:

1. Our move to the new office – how it’s been so far.
2. My new camera charger. Finally!! Pictures to accompany post.
3. Our housewarming sessions. Yes, we had 2 separate ones; one for the neighbors, another for officemates and friends. Penat nauzubillah!!
4. My latest doctor’s appointment @ 31 weeks. Hubby accompanied me for this one.
5. Free trip to Zoo Negara.

OK, I’m working 2 days this week, then taking Wednesday – Friday off. Supposedly to take the girls out and about during the school holidays but we’ll see how up to it I am.