the Keepsakes Armoire & the Treasures Chest

Wordless Wednesday : Mmmuuuaaahhhh

2011-12-14T10:49:00.001+08:00

Wordless Wednesday : My Bride Sister & Us

2011-07-20T12:23:00.001+08:00

Wordless Wednesday : Sister Sister

2011-07-13T12:43:00.002+08:00

Bundle of Joy

2011-05-01T12:57:00.000+08:00

A L H A M D U L I L L A H

Zainoirwan, Hajar & Hannah

welcome with love & joy

HASYA ZULFAH

Arrived on Thursday,
April 14, 2011
10 Jamadilawal 1432H

At 4.35pm,
3.7kg, 49cm

@ KPJ Tawakkal Speacialist Centre

Just a Little Update

2011-04-12T11:30:00.000+08:00

Phewwww...It has been centuries since my last post..I'm just not really in the mood for blogging anymore, hopefully it's just hormonal thingy..

Or can I blame in on Twitter?? I'm kind of addicted to it, so I spend most of the time checking on Twitter more than any other social networking of whatever applications you can find on the face of this earth (OK..now I start to write nonsense..see how bad & rusty I am with blogging?)

Other than that, I choose to put more attention to my job & as well to our miss lil' princess Hannah who demands lots, lots, lots & lots of attention. Hence, very limited time to blog, at work & at home..OKlah those are my excuses for not blogging. THE END.

At the moment, I just passed my 38th week of pregnancy. Yeahh...tell me, it's going to be anytime soon..I'm praying for a bit sooner than soon, boleh?? hehe Previously, I gave birth to Hannah when I was around 39-week pregnant.

Now, I'm still putting all my energy & concentration to my job. I'm planning to work until to the very end of time the baby decides to pop out.. hehe We'll see how long I'll stand on my decision :P

Ok..that's all for now, my blab ends here. Hopefully, my next post will be about labor or new baby.

Just some random pictures of cheeky Hannah & our little family during sister-in-law's wedding reception in February

Halfway there..

2010-12-03T10:30:00.000+08:00

Halfway to where?

(Hint : 20 weeks)

Got it?

;)

She ain't a Baby Anymore

2010-08-29T16:01:00.010+08:00

She's a toddler now.

Why??

Because..

Yesterday..

Was the day that..

Hannah Zahra turned 1 year old..

Happy 1st Birthday, our dearest, precious lilttle miracle daughter.

Momma & Pappa love you so much..

p/s : Pictures are credited to Yanie. Thank you so much, Yanie.
And thank you to Mamu Dino, Aunty Yanie, Abang Zafran, Lil' Aidan & Aryan for the birthday present too :)
Thanks to Cik Pus for baking the red velvet cupcakes :)

Georgetown Heritage White Coffee

2010-08-26T16:03:00.002+08:00

Ironically, working with an addiction treatment center, I can't help myself in treating my own addiction. I'm addicted to caffeine [this would be the safest type of addiction, I guess ;) ], especially coffee-origin.

Currently, my most favourite coffee is Heritage white coffee from Georgetown White Coffee. I'm not sure if they have any other outlet elsewhere, but I came to know about when they opened an outlet in Wangsa Walk, Wangsa Maju. Their char kuey teow is not bad too. I prefer theirs to Little Penang's. But nothing can beat Penang's Famous Sany char kuey teow (this statement is based on the taste buds on my tongue lah ok, and considering the halal factor. Let me know if there are other places that have better taste :P). I was kind of missing it since early of Ramadhan. So last night, I satisfied my craving hehe.

I sooo love this creamy texture and the aroma. This beats St*rb*cks, anytime, anywhere.

Hannah started to get cranky after a while waiting for our cups of coffee.

I had to distract her using a chopstick.

See..how happy she was playing with it :) I joined her and we had a chopsticks fight, pretending they were lightsabers lah konon hehe

Hannah : APA?!!

p/s : Sayang, can we enjoy another cups again this weekend, please?? :)

6th Parenthood Expo 2010

2010-08-23T08:00:00.001+08:00

This was another event that I was really looking forward for the past week. It was held in Mid Valley Exhibition Center since Friday, August 20th. We'd never been to any parenthood expo before, and it was aeons ago since the last time we went to Mid Valley. We arrived about 11am+, and there was already a humongous crowd as yesterday was the last day for the expo.

There were many booths that carried various range of well-known baby products to mothers' needs, child learning programs to insurance products and even stem cell bank services. All came with attractive bargains & irresistible promotions. I could see why this was an event that many parents were waiting for.

From the crowd, I would say that the response from the public was clearly really overwhelming and it was a success. It was a bit disappointing for us though, as we couldn't enjoy our experience. I came with a list of Hannah's stuffs to buy but had to cut short the visit and went to other departmental stores instead. We only stayed for about 20 minutes and went off empty handed.

Hannah buat muka boring. I think she knew that her momma didn't get to shop anything for her huhu..
Sorry baby, next time ok dear?? ;)

There were too many booths (which were good actually), but came with it, the LACKING of SPACE matter. Since there was another expo, Thailand expo (err or something similar to it, , I didn't really pay attention to it) held on concurrently, this could be the reason why the booths in the Parenthood Expo were cramped.

The aisle was narrow. It was really hard walking anywhere through any directions especially if you came with a baby stroller. It was probably impossible for 2 strollers to pass in 2 opposite directions in that kind of crowd. I got annoyed that other people's handbags/arms kept on hitting Hannah, that I decided it was better for me to carry her around, and her Pappa pushed an empty stroller. And most of the time, Sayang was left behind as he was struggled to move around with it.

Hopefully, the next Parenthood Expo would be a better and more enjoyable experience for us.

Perfect Livin' 10

2010-08-16T16:30:00.001+08:00

Recently moved to our own home, we are still far from done with our to do/buy list. You guess it right that I have a long list of furniture to buy (biasalah org pompuan :P) before I can settle down in peace (this is the moment that I wish I had a deep pocket to dig $$$ hehehe)

Last Saturday, I dragged Sayang and Hannah to Perfect Livin '10 in PWTC to survey few pieces of furniture for home. We went out as early as 10am (hehe takdelah awal sangat but for a record that was the earliest for the 3 of us got ready for weekend outing).

Hannah with King Harry the Frog and Lil' Ramone the Penguin

Eh..why suddenly you bit Harry ar Hannah?

We arrived about 10.15am and were lucky enough to get a parking inside the PWTC parking area. Before entering the exhibition hall, the visitors were required to register themselves by filling a form (and had to complete a slogan pulak tu) and submitting it at the registration counters. Hmmm not sure why we had to do so. Hopefully can win something later hehehe (eh..got contest meh?). Once registered we were given a Perfect Livin sticker.

Big crowd already at 10++ am

I loved this white L-shaped sofa. But with a soon toddler girl around ermm forget it jelah

and this white bling bling bed headbooard

Pappa & daughter

Momma & daughter

Hannah was amused with the string curtain

Lady dressed with curtain fabrics

Ehem..ehhemm Sayang..berkenan ke? :)

An attempt to take a picture with the 3 of us together.

Hmmm..pikir ape lg tu Sayang? Beli je!! Best ape main dengan PS3. 2 thumbs up hehehe

Hannah fell asleep after few episodes of crankiness

Sayang checking out vacuum

We spent almost 4 hours in the exhibition halls, surveying various furniture and household items.

The sexy leng-loi band entertained the crowd with their music outside the hall. Aiyaa bulan puasa la, why so sexy one?

We got out of exhibition hall about 2.15pm and there crowd was getting bigger

At gifts redemption counter to claim our gift

Among the redemption gifts

I got this 7-piece cookware (the box was upside-down because isi dah terburai during our walk back to the car).

Eating with Hannah

2010-07-14T09:16:00.007+08:00

These are some pictures that we took while out for lunch with Hannah at one of our favourite restaurants, The Cosy Place in Wangsa Maju. She basically eats anything from our plates, but I try to be selective though. And I haven't yet let her to eat by her own, as I'm still not ready to face the mess that she's capable of creating hehehe

I didn't know why she kept on licking the plate. We didn't put any food on it.

Then, banging the plate and fork on the table repetitively

She threw the plate & fork so many times. I guess she enjoyed watching her pappa picking them up for her :)

Uh-oh..pappa gave her a warning

Slowly...

Pappa noticed she tried to throw the plate again, then he distracted her by playing the plate with Hannah.

Pappa lost, Hannah threw the plate to the floor for n-th time hehe

Naughty lil' girl :)

A Place to Call Our Own

2010-05-31T20:43:00.001+08:00

Alhamdulillah, after almost 2 and half years of waiting, we will move to our own home sweet home in a couple of months (hopefully before Aidilfitri, InsyaAllah). Not big, but sweet enough to call our own dwelling :)

One proud owner

Sweaty & sticky face after few acrobatic stunts around the house performing house defect inspection. It was so damn hot!!!

I think Hannah was happy with the new place too hence the sweet smile. Momma love your smile, Hannah!!! :)

Cameron Highlands (Day 1) : Pictures in the Garden

2010-05-01T12:13:00.003+08:00

Bala's Holiday Chalet is quite well known for its beautiful and picturesque garden. Not to miss the opportunity, we spent some time taking pictures in the garden after we came back from Brinchang.

Cameron Highlands (Day 1) : Brinchang Night Market

2010-04-30T11:05:00.000+08:00

On the way to Bala's Chalet, we dropped for a while at Saturday night market in Brinchang. I just love the vibrant colours of fresh vegetables and fruits, not forgetting the delicious aroma of freshly cook food, very therapeutic for my eyes :)

We didn't buy much actually except for some tidbits. Sayang bought himself some cactus plants which costed him RM10 for 7 small ones. So cheap!!!

Cameron Highlands (Day 1) : Butterfly Farm

2010-04-29T13:41:00.002+08:00

After resting few hours upon our arrival, we went to Butterfly Farm which is located in Brinchang. Besides butterflies, the farm also keeps a wide variety of insects, reptiles, plants & flowers. The entrance fee is RM5 for adult and RM2 for children more than 3 years old. We spent about an hour in the farm. Alternatively, there is another butterfly park next to this Butterfly Farm called Butterfly Garden.

Hannah at 8 Months

2010-04-28T12:00:00.003+08:00

Hannah was 7 months last month and after few blinks, she hits 8 months today!! Another great wonderful months have passed with a speedy. Her developments for this past 2 months challenge & excite me the most so far and yet I know they will be more ahead.

Her health was up and down with cough, cold and fever. A couple of weeks ago, she had flu and bad coughs that turned her voice hoarse. It was funny but I pitied her at the same time. We even wondered whether her hoarse voice was due to coughs or too much of screaming.

Muka demam, kesian huhu

Yes, she screams a lot!! A-L-O-T!! Especially whenever she wants me, that means 24/7 including sleeping hours. I think she already reaches the stage which she experiences separation anxiety. I'm finding myself having a hard time handling her alone as she leaves me with no space to do other house chores.

Throwing her tantrum, trying to release herself from the bumbo seat which she managed once

During bedtime, she normally suckles to sleep. Sometimes she holds my bra or T-shirt just to ensure that I stay with her while she sleeps. Sometimes, she grabs on my breast or nipple when I detach her lips from my breast. Ouch!! Whenever I carry her, she always hold me tightly around my neck & shoulders. Hannah is so my baby koala :) Then I'm the momma koala :P . But with the humongous dark circles around my eyes, momma panda fits me better hehehe

She has mastered her crawling skill, sits unsupported and once I caught her pulling herself up from sitting position and voila!! She stood up while holding the sofa :)

Watching TV and I interrupted her with taking her pictures

Her favourite sexy pose

And guess what?? Her 1st lower central incisor is erupting!!! There was one evening that I fetched Hannah from her nursery, her teacher told me that she had a mild fever. Somehow, it crossed my mind that she was probably teething. So we went back, washed my hands and put my finger on her lower gum. My heart jolted the moment I touched something hard on her gum and I could see her tiny pearly white tooth :)

Arrrr!!! Momma, beware of my tooth!!! :)

Social-wise, she's becoming friendlier in her own way. Previously, she would put on her serious face to any strangers with quiet stares. Now I realized she took another step in broadening her socializing skill. Few weeks ago, we brought Hannah to a clinic near our place because of her coughs & voice. There was a lady and her family sat just next to us in the clinic while Hannah was on my lap. Somehow, she realized that the lady and her husband tried to communicate with her. She stood still, facing them and started squinting her eyes and blinked her eyes repetitively for few minutes. Then, Hannah played with the lady's handbag while babbling to the lady in her baby language of course. Not long after that, Hannah was playing joyfully in the lady's lap after she took her. This was in contrary of her just a week earlier during my sister-in-law, Farah's engagement, which she would cry and scream not long after someone else took her from me.

I started Hannah on solid food more than 2 months ago. Most of her meals are home-cooked. I'm still struggling to feed her as she's quite a fussy eater, or maybe she doesn't like what I cook for her (in fact, I'm not a good cook :P). So I'm trying variety of recipes to suit her appetite. I'm not so worry about her lacking of vitamins since I already started her on Appeton Multivitamin Plus Infant drops since she was still newborn as advised by her Paediatrician.

I'm still breastfeeding Hannah despite the fact that my milk supply is decreasing, due to stress I presume. I tried to supplement her with formula milk as (I was kind of sad in the beginning) I was worried that she wouldn't get enough nutrients from breast milk and food. She refused it even though her teacher/babysitter and I tried a few times. She even vomited the milk out. That left me no other option but trying to stimulate and increase my milk production. Now, I'm taking domperidone, as fenugreek didn't give much effect on increasing my milk production to the extent that I want. So far, I don't experience any common side effects of domperidone like headache, dizziness, dry mouth (maybe because I drink plenty of water daily since I'm still breastfeeding Hannah)and abdominal cramps. I just had a 'little too smooth bowel movement' on the first 2 days after I started taking it.

I do monitor the side effects of domperidone on Hannah since tiny amount of it does get into the breast milk. But so far, she doesn't experience anything. Don't worry, I'm not going to depend on domperidone for a really long time. I will definitely stop taking it after I satisfy with my milk production. :P

Hannah's 7 month Milestones

•Hannah now can crawl or scoot on her stomach.
•She can sit without support.
•Hannah can "rake" a small toy toward her on the floor and pick it up.
•She can get into a sitting position from her stomach.
•She can pull up to a standing position from a seated one.
•She looks for dropped objects.
•Hannah shows unhappiness when we take something away from her.
•She plays peekaboo.
•Hannah can bear weight on her legs when held upright.
•She can stand while holding onto someone or something.
•She babbles
•Hannah plays peekaboo.

Cameron Highlands (Day 1) : Bala's Holiday Chalet

2010-04-27T13:00:00.000+08:00

We arrived at Tanah Rata about 1pm, on the dot to check in to our room. Luckily I booked a room earlier of the week via phone call, instead of just walking in. Suprisingly, all rooms were full eventhough it was off peak season.

I was asked to pay for the room by the unsmiling, unwelcoming receptionist (Sayang said she looked more like a cleaner or amah) upon checking in. Weird huh?? Normally we settle the bill upon checking out, right?? We got a deluxe room with a queen bed, pretty small but just enough space for the 3 of us to move around & perform solat. The room was equipped with basic amenities.

Hannah's excitement continued with the new surroundings

The bathroom : OKlah :)

The view overlooking our room : The backyard garden

After checking in, we rested for couple of hours and performed our prayers. I managed to express breast milk while Hannah took her afternoon nap.

My review on Bala's Holiday Chalet :

I chose this place because of the coziness and the view of the beautiful garden as showed in their homepage. But, I almost cancelled my room reservation when I read the reviews from this link. (Note to myself : always search for reviews first before making any reservations). But since it was a bit too late to cancel and it was only a night stay, we just went ahead with it. After reading the reviews, we were expecting the worst experience from staying there.

I paid RM250, for a night for a deluxe room, excluding breakfast. I do agree with the reviews that mentioned it was overpriced. The room itself was OK. Somehow, the whole building and room had damp smell. The bedside lamps didn't work, but we didn't bother to call the front counter to ask them to repair them. The water heater was working really well. The room and bed linens were fairly clean. Shampoo packets, soaps, tissues, toilet paper and towels were provided. No tea bags or coffee packets were given. Only one channel on television that was fine. The rest were blur.

The best part of staying here was enjoying & taking pictures of the beautiful garden.

Overall, Bala's Holiday Chalet was fairly OK since we spent most of the time outside the place and didn't require any room service since it was only a short stay. Somehow, the experience was better than the expectation. But, not value for my money.

Cameron Highlands (Day 1) : The Departure

2010-04-26T16:50:00.003+08:00

It was short getaway weekend for both of Sayang and I to unwind from bustling and hot KL. We took the opportunity to spend the weekend with our dear Hannah in Cameron Highlands before the peak seasons of public holiday (Labour Day) and school holidays in May (peak seasons = soaring price of everything :P).

We were supposed to depart at 8 am. But knowing me (nak cuci baju dulu lah, nak sidai baju lah, nak kemas itu, ini etc...) who kept dragging the time, we left KL at last about 9.30am. Even our little Hannah knew that we were on a trip, that she was excited all along the way.

We stopped at R & R Tapah for lunch and took the old narrow winding road via Tapah. I got sick all the way up to Tanah Rata. After about 1 hour of tortuous road up, we reached Tanah Rata at 1pm.

Excited lil' Hannah

Happily playing with her toys

Sweetie Pie

2010-04-23T12:25:00.000+08:00

What do you get if you have strawberries, a piece of pie, chocolate and ice cream???

*

*

*

*

*

*

*

TaA dAaA!!!

Warning : Extremely sweet.

Indication : For sweet tooth only

Awak Pun Pakar Jugak!!

2010-04-23T09:33:00.004+08:00

This conversation was between Sayang and I few nights ago. I told him that one of my cousins, Abang Mad (who was previously studied medicine in UM) was a coursemate to a locum doctor in our clinic (talking about six degree of separation la kononnye kan??but skipped after the second degree onwards hehehe).

Me : Sayang, awak tau tak (which he obviously tak tau pun :P), Dr S yang buat locum kat klinik kitaorang tu actually kawan Abg Mad?

Sayang : Oh, ye ke?? (tapi suara macam tak heran sangat pun). Mana awak tau??

Me : Saya tengok Dr S tu wished Abang Mad birthday kat Facebook. Nama Dr S unik sangat. So just agak yang tu memang dia jelah.

Sayang : Abang Mad dah jadi pakar kan?

Me : Ha'ah. ENT specialist kat KK. Hmm, baguslah Abang Mad tu, rajin. Even Dr S tu cakap dia memang rajin dari dulu lagi. Dulu dia memang rajin buat locum kat UMMC. Awak lepas ni boleh jadi pakar buat ubat la ekk?? Saya ni tak taulah nak jadi apa...

Sayang : Awak pun pakar jugak!! (gelak sorang-soarang)

Me : Uhh?? Pakar ape pulak?? (I was confused)

Sayang : PAKAR PERABIH DUIT!!!

Me : Isshhh..mana ada saya perabis duit awak. Kalau saya nak apa-apa, saya belanja duit sendiri la!!

Sayang : Haaa..tulah!! PAKAR PERABIH DUIT SENDIRI!!!

Me : ~gulp~ (terdiam terus...huhu, telan air liur je, tak tau nak jawab ape da :P)

-THE END-

Saturday Afternoon with My Ladies

2010-03-30T13:35:00.001+08:00

It had been ages since I saw my 2 best ladies, Aidah & Rosey. The last time was in September when Hannah was still a 2 week newborn. We took the chance to catch up with each other and celebrate Aidah's belated birthday which fell a week earlier.

Had lunch & 'kaypoh-kaypoh' session at Secret Recipe, Midvalley

The birthday lady and her presents : a book titled Ideal Muslimah written by Dr. Muhammad ‘Ali Al-Hashimi (from Rose) and Tie Rack scarf from me. Perhaps I should get the book too.

Rosey's little hero, Haziq and his father, Dziehan

Hannah & her auntie Aidah

Rose and her family went back early after we had lunch & walked around the mall. I stayed back for a while with Aidah to enjoy Haagen-Dasz ice creams for our teatime and continue with our chat for almost about an hour. Thanks for the treat, dear!!!

Momma and lil' daughter

Haagen-Dasz's heavenly ice creams : Chocolate Journey & Flower Blossom

After that, we just went around window shopping. At 7pm, Sayang came to fetch us home.

The gloomy girl of the day, no smile at all

At last, one with a cheer although unclear

Dear Aidah & Rosey, thanks for a great afternoon even though it was a short one. Lets make it more often, OK?? Every second spent with both of you was precious.

For Aidah : Happy Belated Birthday, dear!!! May you are always be blessed with unlimited happiness. InsyaAllah :)

Smile, Baby...Smile!!!

2010-03-17T13:07:00.001+08:00

When everything that I touched today went wrong, my morale & energy easily rolled down to the drain. Only this little girl's smile can bring cheer to my heart and turn my frown upside down.

I LOVE U, HANNAH DEAR!!!

Sad Friday

2010-03-12T11:55:00.002+08:00

I just received a text from my aunt, Anjang Yah

"...inalillahi wainnaillaihi rajiun...Bob"

We lost another family member not even an hour ago. Abang Bob, my maternal cousin passed away due to Thalassaemia complications. His elder brother, Abang Ie passed away because of the same condition about 8 years ago, 8 months after I lost Bapak.

Semoga rohnya sentiasa dicucuri rahmat dan ditempatkan di kalangan orang beriman. Amin.

Al-fatihah...

Spicy Hot Red

2010-03-10T13:51:00.006+08:00

Red was definitely not my favourite colour. The closest to red that I ever wore or owned would probably in maroon (except for red-inked pen of course :P)

But because of this one, I can't contain my feelings anymore. I'm falling in love with red. Yes, I'm C-RRR-AAA-Z-YYY all over this red. My heart is dying to have it.

I'm in L-O-V-E with

Peg Perego Viaggio1 Duo-Fix car seat in Spice

Have a look at the red. Isn't it a beauty?? My heart pounds faster whenever I look at it. It's a sign that I'm falling in love with it hehehe. I'm not sure whether it already arrived in Malaysian shore as it's a part of Peg Perego 2010 collection. Currently, it costs about almost GBP200 or Euro200. I wonder how much does it cost once it's marketed in Malaysia.

For now, just let me drift away with the image of I'm driving with Hannah in this hottie next to me :)

So Far...So Many...

2010-03-06T11:49:00.007+08:00

Last weekend, Puspa came with one whole plastic full of baby's clothes. They were all for Hannah. And they came a very long way...from Norway.

Thank you so much Aunty Sham for all the clothes that you sent. They are so cute & so adorable. I can't describe how excited I was to receive them (even more excited than Hannah hehehe :P).

We are grateful & thankful for your kindness, Aunty. Next time, when you return to Malaysia, you are always welcome to our new place OK :)

p/s : Aunty...we named the penguin Ramone :)

Ramone the Stripy Penguin

Hannah at 6 Months

2010-02-28T21:00:00.001+08:00

Yeay!! Hannah turns 6 months today. Half a year of beautiful moments in parenthood land as a Momma & Pappa of Hannah Zahra for both of us. Some were ups, some were downs. But all are so priceless, my dear baby :)

At this moment, Hannah is not feeling so well. She's down with cold & fever which started on Saturday. We brought her to a clinic last night. The doctor said she might catch viral infection as her mucous was yellowish. We will have to return to see the doctor again if her condition ain't getting any better. She is so clingy to me now that she's unwell. Ya Allah, please let her recover soon. It's so heartbreaking to hear her snuffling & crying.

I started Hannah on solid food already on Friday. Yeay!!! I was so excited watching her tasting her first solid food. I'll blog about that later. Her solid food was a big thing for me so I need a special post for it, because Momma want you to know Hannah how special your little milestones to me, dear. I so love you so much, Hannah.

Hannah's 6 month milestones

•She rocks and pivots while lying on her stomach.

•Hannah can roll from her back onto her stomach–and back again.

•She digs her fingers and toes into the floor to push herself toward her favourite toy.

•She also can pick up a small object.

•Hannah has more than doubled her birth weight. She weighed 3.27kg when she was born. Now, she weighs 7.35kg.

•She expresses unhappiness & protests when an object or toy is taken away from her.

•She can pass objects from one hand to another.

•Hannah can look for dropped toys.

Look Who Got A Shot??

2010-02-27T08:35:00.000+08:00

Who else?? It was you, Hannah dear!! :)

Last week, we brought Hannah to see her Paediatrician, Dr Sheila at Tawakal Hospital for her 5th month immunisation. A little bit behind the schedule though. We almost rescheduled her appointment again because we were so lazy to go out due to the extremely hot & sizzling weather. I don't know how we managed to drag ourself out from our house & turned up for her appointment on late Saturday afternoon.

While waiting for her turn, Hannah brushed up her social skill by babbling with occasionally shouting to the other children as she got all excited looking at the them running & playing around. I could tell that she was so eager to join them. Later when you are a little bigger, OK dear?? We'll take a step at a time. Momma don't want to see you grow up a little too fast.

Hannah didn't gain so much weight this time. Now, she weighs 7.35kg as compared to last month 7kg. But she's still a weight to carry though. I can't feel my upper arm after carrying her more than 5 minutes.

Dr Sheila did all the routine check-up. Alhamdulillah, Hannah is in good health. She was almost didn't cry at all this time when the doctor gave her the vaccine shot. Oh, i'm so proud of you Hannah!! You are 1 tough cookie!! :)

Hannah was due for her Infanrix Hexa vaccination. Infanrix Hexa is a 6 antigen based combination antigen which consists of Diphteria, Tetanus, Pertussis, Haemophilus influenzae type B, Hepatitis B and Poliomyelitis. It is common for babies to develop pain, redness and swelling at injection site, low-grade fever, restlessness and crying after this vaccination.

Alhamdulillah, Hannah just caught a fever for 1 day only, which was easily resolved by a few doses of paracetamol.

Spot the injection site??

Tag : Pregnancy

2010-02-22T15:00:00.003+08:00

So here is my last tag that I owed YatEkhram hehehe. Sorry babe, it took me months to complete this :)

HOW DID YOU FIND OUT YOU WERE PREGNANT?

Sometime almost mid-January, I noticed that I missed my period for December. After almost plunged down to almost major depression after finding out the results from Ovarian Drilling procedure in November, I never thought that I would conceive. I told myself that it was only due to hormonal disturbances caused by the procedure. Somehow the curiosity crept in my soul, and I just told myself "What the heck, just pee on the stick. If it was negative, so be it!! As if I would expect it anyway!"

I tried once. It turned positive, but I thought it was only false positive. Then, a week later, I did the pregnancy test again on 3 pregnancy sticks. All of them turned positive. Despite that, I was still 100% unconfident. So we went to a clinic to have an ultrasound. After seeing the tiny fetus in a sac with heartbeats and finally I could breathe out with certainty and happy tears :)

HOW DO YOU FEEL?
Unbelievable. Shocked. Overjoyed. Miraculous. Magical. And definitely, grateful to Allah.

WHO DID YOU TELL FIRST?

Sayang, who was always on my side supporting me. I even showed him the sticks and asked him whether they were all turned positive because I was so unsure myself.

WAS YOUR FIRST PREGNANCY PLANNED?
Yes & I had miscarriage on 1st pregnancy. Hannah was my 2nd pregnancy and she's my miracle baby.

WHAT IS YOUR FIRST CHILD NAME?
Hannah Zahra binti Zainoirwan

WHAT WAS YOUR FIRST CHILD’S SEX?
Female

WHAT WAS YOUR SECOND CHOICE NAME FOR YOUR OPPOSITE GENDER NAME?
Naah...I just keep it for myself.

DID YOU WISH YOU HAD THE OPPOSITE SEX?
No. After being blessed with a miracle, how could I be so picky right??

WHEN WAS YOUR CHILD BORN ?
August 28th, 2009

DUE DATE WERE SUPPOSED TO BE ON WHAT DATE?
September 3rd, 2009

HOW DO YOU FEEL WHEN YOU FIRST SAW YOUR BABY?
Just like after my pregnancy was confirmed but times another 1000 folds

HOW OLD WERE YOU AT THAT TIME?
28years, 9 months and 25 days

DID YOU WANT TO FIND OUT THE SEX BEFORE YOU GIVE BIRTH?

Yes, definitely.

DID YOU HAVE MORNING SICKNESS?
Yes. Awful, nasty ones but the condition got better turning to 2nd trimester.

WHAT DID YOU CRAVE?

Nothing unusual. Towards end of pregnancy, coconut juice everyday

WHO/WHAT IRRITATED YOU THE MOST?
My patients and their smells. I had always kept a can of Ambi Pur Green Tea spray inside my dispensing room. After each patient left the room, I would spray the room first before the other one came in. The whole spray can finished within a week.

The smells of fried onions & garlics on the stove and cooked rice.

HOW MANY KG's DID YOU GAIN THROUGHOUT THE PREGNANCY?
18 wholesome kg

DID YOU HAVE ANY COMPLICATIONS DURING YOUR PREGNANCY?
Varicose veins. I had to wear compression socks. But all were gone after giving birth.

WHERE DID YOU GIVE BIRTH?
Hospital Tawakal, Kuala Lumpur

WHO DROVE YOU TO THE HOSPITAL?
I drove myself accompanied by Mak. Sayang was at work. It was only supposed for a weekly routine check-up. When the Dr Siti did the vaginal examination, I already 4cm dilatation!! So the labour room I went right away.

WHO IS YOUR GYNEA?
Dr Siti Zaleha

HOW MANY HOURS WERE YOU IN LABOR?
Admitted about 10.45am and gave birth at 6.45pm. So about 8 hours.

WHAT TIME DO YOU GAVE BIRTH?
6.45pm

WHO WATCHED YOU GIVE BIRTH?
Sayang, Dr Siti, few nurses that I lost count.

WAS IT NATURAL OR C-SECTION?
Natural via vacuum extension.

DID YOU TAKE MEDICINE TO EASE THE PAIN?
No epidural but I was given painkiller to relieve the pain.

DO YOU BREASTFEED YOUR BABY?

Alhamdulillah yes, until present.

ARE YOU PLANNING TO HAVE ANOTHER ONE RIGHT NOW?

I leave this matter to Allah's will.

If anybody (kalau lah ada orang baca pun kan?? hehehe) reads this tag and the one before, go ahead do it if you haven't done it yet. It would be my pleasure to read yours.

TAG : Baby-Related Products

2010-02-18T02:47:00.000+08:00

I had been tagged by YatEkhram, Mama Qiestina, about few months back. So, at last here it is :)

5 expensive baby-related products I don't regret buying :

1. Peg Perego Pliko3 System

In the beginning, I was searching for just 1 stroller & a convertible car seat that I could use for my baby throughout newborn to toddler years so that I didn't have to go back & forth buying another different car seat & stroller once she outgrew them. But after vigorous hands-on surveying & considering safety reason, we decided to get an infant car seat & buy the convertible one later. I was so in love with Peg Perego Skate, but the price was REALLY EXPENSIVE. So, I just settled down with the next best thing. And now, NO REGRETS!! :)

2. Medela Freestyle

This is my best investment so far on all baby-products. One of the main reason that I still manage to exclusively breastfeed Hannah, despite the ups & downs of my milk production. I can double pump while ironing the clothes and writing this post on my blog (and yes I'm pumping while writing this line) at home. Even finishing my reports at work while pumping. I can express my milk while breatfeed Hannah on the other side. A seriously super cool, most brilliant & useful little gadget I ever owned to date!! My credits to Yanie for introducing & getting me this little helper [thank you so much, dear :)]

3. 4 in 1 Baby Cot

We bought this from mybbstore.com at their shop in Jalan Kuchai Lama. It comes as multifunction to be used as cot, playpen, sofa bed & junior bed. When we bought this in package together with mattress, crib set & latex pillow.

4. First Years Sure Comfort Deluxe Newborn-to-Toddler Tub with Sling.

I have to admit that for a baby bathtub, this item is rather expensive. But I can ensure that this tub is very useful. When Hannah was a newborn, I used this tub and put Hannah on the sling. Now she plays, splashes, kicks, tries to immerse herself (yes, she did few times & she enjoyed it - the main reason not to leave your child alone in tub) and even bites the rim of her bathtub.

5.Isoki Petite Traveller.

I was really in love with this Australian brand, and bought it from a Singaporean online shop since it wasn't available in Malaysia. Hannah is a breastfed baby, so I don't need to carry milk bottles and such. This miss petite is enough for me to carry few of Hannah's diapers, a foldable changing mat, wipes & an extra outfit for her for our outing. And it fits well on her stroller and and perfectly inside my handbags too!!

5 inexpensive baby-related products I don't regret buying :

1. www.YouHaveABaby.com Breast Milk Storage Bags

It costs less than RM0.30 per piece and definitely a very convenient and space-saver way to store expressed breast milk. Just pour the EBM inside the bag, tie it with a rubber band & just store it in the freezer. CHEAP, EASY & CONVENIENT, what else I could ask :P

2. Bumble Bee bottles

I got these bottles from a baby shop in Kuching during my confinement period there.I got 4 Medela storage bottles came with Medela Freestyle, which were not enough of course. So I decided to get extra bottles that were compatible with the rims of breastshield bodies. They were sold for RM38.90 for 8 bottles and I was given 4 extra bottles for free.

3. Chomel Nursing Cover

Bought this from chomelnursingcover.com for only RM25. I can breastfeed Hannah just about anywhere, even while eating. It couples as baby cover in the cold-air cond mall.

4. Guardian Liquid Cleanser

They are a lot of brands for liquid cleanser in the market from Pigeon, Sleek, Pureen etc. For me, I just love this particular product from the in-house Guardian brand especially the fruity smell. It is sold as low as RM13.88 during sales period (NP:RM19.90).

5. Baby Wipes and Hand Sanitizers

I use many different brands of both for Hannah and myself. At home, I keep the wipes in refillable bottles. Wipes in travel packs and small handy hand sanitizer bottle I use for Hannah during our outing in her miss petite bag. I always keep extra packs of wipes and a bottle of sanitizer in handbag for usage in conditions without access to water.

Jelingan Maut

2010-02-11T11:48:00.000+08:00

I find that Hannah is always in serious facial expression especially among strangers or someone that she hasn't seen for quite sometime like Mak or her aunt Puspa or in new environment. She will be more quiet, reserved and just staring at the new persons or surroundings, taking her own sweet time to warm up.

Puspa managed to get this picture of Hannah giving her sharp look from the corners of her eyes, last Saturday during our lunch outing together.

Aiyaa girl, why so serious haa??!! :)

Hannah at 5 Months

2010-02-10T11:30:00.004+08:00

12 days has passed since Hannah turned 5 months. It has been so wonderful, seeing her progresses within the past months. This particular month is one of the important ones. I was kind of worry in the beginning when she didn't show any gleam of interest with rolling over her stomach. Boy, I was wrong!! She showed her skills to us on the night she turned 5 months. Twice!! Now, Hannah you are rockin' & rollin', baby!! I know I shouldn't have been worried with her tracking milestones because each baby is unique. But hey, I am an ordinary & not to forget a first-time Momma :)

Hannah rolled from the changing mat to the floor

She's quite a weight to carry now. 3 weeks ago, her weight was 7kg. I wonder how much she weighs as I've noticed she has rounder belly nowadays. Now, she puts everything in her mouth. Her fingers, toys, her toes and even the rim of her bathtub!! Funny though looking at her reaching her toes, fascinating them & the next thing you see they are in her mouth [orang tua cakap kalau anak letak jari kaki dalam mulut, dia nak adik ye?? orang tua cakap lah kan ;)].

Just a couple of weeks more before she starts solids. Yeay!!! I can't wait for her 1st spoon of food. I've been reading & preparing all the necessities to start another important chapter in her life. She has been showing interest with our meal, by grabbing food on our plates when she sits down us during dinner.

Hmmm...what else? She babbles, protests and even blows her saliva!!

Hannah's 5 month Milestones

She is able to reach accurately for her toys.

She can hold her head steady when sitting upright.

She can raise her chest with arm support while lying on her stomach.

Hannah can roll over in one direction particularly towards her right side. She still tries to roll to the opposite direction.

She turns towards the source of a sound or voice especially to her momma & pappa.

She knows that she gets attention by babbling.

She smiles spontaneously especially when she sees her pappa returns from work. The kind of smile that melts her pappa's heart.

She makes different sounds for different needs. Most of the time she shouts when she wants me for milk and sleep.

Indolence

2010-02-09T09:40:00.003+08:00

Excuse me.

I am in the state of habitual laziness with idle mind & idle hands.

Hopefully I will recover soon.

Muffins & Cake for the Weekend

2010-01-13T10:11:00.000+08:00

It was like we (Puspa & I) got struck by 'baking madness' disease this weekend. By Saturday afternoon, my house was already smelled like a bakery as we baked blueberry muffins & marble cake - back to back.

At night, Puspa still had her baking mood & made another batch of muffins but instead of using blueberries, she put Hershey's semi sweet chocolate in the middle. And voila! Chocolate center-filled muffins. And this time, we used recipe that we copied from House of Annie (you should see how gorgeous were the muffins she baked).

BLUEBERRY MUFFINS RECIPE

Ingredients :

(at room temperature)
4 Tbsp (2 oz) unsalted butter
1/2 cup (100 g) sugar
zest of 2 large lemons
1 large egg
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
about 1 cup (135 g) bleached all-purpose flour
1/4 tsp (2 g) baking soda
1/4 tsp (2 g) salt
1/3 cup (80 g) sour cream
3/4 cup (100 g) blueberries, frozen or fresh

Topping :
3/4 tsp sugar
grated nutmeg, for dusting

Method

1. Preheat oven to 375 F.

2. In a large bowl, cream butter, sugar, and lemon zest until light and fluffy. Beat in the egg and vanilla.

3. In a small bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, and salt. Spoon half the flour mixture and half the sour cream into the batter/sugar mixture and fold in with a rubber spatula until flour has mostly disappeared. Repeat with the remaining flour and sour cream, folding in just until the flour disappears.

4. Fold in the blueberries gently.

5. Fill the muffin pan (or ramekins or custard cups) almost to the top. Batter will be somewhat stiff (especially if using frozen blueberries).

6. Bake for 25 to 35 minutes or until the muffins spring back when pressed lightly in the center with a fingertip and a wooden toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

7. Unmold muffins and cool on a wire rack. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Our version of blueberry muffin

With the recipe, I got 6 large blueberry muffins. The muffins turned out to be amazingly delicious (except that the berries were pretty sour). Perhaps next time I should try replacing the berries with streaks of blueberry or strawberry jams. And also instead of putting the chocolate in the middle, I should add in chunks of chocolate. Hmmm..that would be nice. Another great recipe to try :)

Chocolate center-filled muffin

25 Muharram 1431H

2010-01-11T16:32:00.003+08:00

Today, 25 Muharram 1431H marks the 8th year of Bapak's passing.

Even after all these years, I still love you so much.

I still miss you so much.

You are always in my heart.

Al-fatihah...

Sweet Child o' Mine

2010-01-07T11:05:00.000+08:00

It's another hard day at work but it seems that I just can't put my attention to these piling works. All I can think about since I clocked in this morning is Hannah's smile & laughter. That brings the song of Guns N' Roses' Sweet Child o' Mine playing again & again in my head. A really good song to entertain my blue. How I miss her now :(. I can't wait to go home & fetch her from the nursery.

Sweet Child o' Mine by Guns N' Roses

She's got a smile that it seems to me
Reminds me of childhood memories
Where everything
Was as fresh as the bright blue sky
Now and then when I see her face
She takes me away to that special place
And if I'd stare too long
I'd probably break down and cry

Sweet child o' mine
Sweet love of mine

She's got eyes of the bluest skies
As if they thought of rain
I hate to look into those eyes
And see an ounce of pain
Her hair reminds me of a warm safe place
Where as a child I'd hide
And pray for the thunder
And the rain
To quietly pass me by

Sweet child o' mine
Sweet love of mine

Where do we go
Where do we go now
Where do we go
Sweet child o' mine

My own sweet child

Marble Cake

2010-01-04T08:14:00.002+08:00

I always have a 'thing' with baking. The last time I baked something was a torte for a colleague's birthday, way before anyone at my working place knew I was pregnant. I sort of having a 'gian' (craving) for baking after putting a very long pause to this particular interest of mine. I am not an expert in baking, just enjoying the tedious steps & end results (=eat, eat & put extra inches to hip :P).

Since Puspa was around for the weekend, we teamed-up to bake Marble Cake. I didn't know why I had a sudden craving for the cake. I had been searching for a simple delicious recipe of Marble Cake and found it in Bee's rasamalaysia.com. She actually copied it exactly from House of Annie (you could get very detailed & useful instructions here). This was our first time baking the cake and the result was not bad at all!!!

Marble Cake Recipe

Ingredients:

3 sticks (12 oz= 340g) unsalted butter, softened at room temperature
2 cups sugar
6 extra-large eggs
1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
3 cups (15 oz) bleached all-purpose flour
1/2 cup plain yogurt, full fat preferred
1/2 cup whole milk
100g (3.5oz) semi-sweet chocolate
1 Tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder (optional)

Method

1. Preheat oven to 325 F (~165 C).

2. Put chocolate in a dry, clean bowl and melt in microwave oven in 30-second intervals, stirring till you get a smooth paste (or you could use double boiler method). Remove and let cool.

3. In a stand mixer, or a hand mixer, cream together butter and sugar (we reduced the sugar measurement to 1 3/4 cup but it still tasted sweet) till mixture is fluffy and sugar has been cut in well.

4. Add eggs, one at a time. Beat on med-high speed for about 20 seconds after each egg, and scrape down before adding the next one.

5. Add the vanilla and mix to combine.

6. Add dry ingredients in three portions, interspersing with the yogurt and milk and stir gently. So basically, this means 1/3 dry ingredients, yogurt, 1/3 dry ingredients, milk, final third dry ingredient. Stir till all traces of flour is gone.

7. Take out half of the vanilla cake batter and drop it into the baking pan.

8. Add the melted chocolate and cocoa powder to the remaining batter and stir it.

9. Interspersing globs of vanilla batter with chocolate batter, drop batter into pan.

10. Using your spatula, twirl the batter together using a figure-eight motion to mix the batter up to get that nice pretty marble design. Don’t overmix.

Before

11. Smooth out the top of your pan and put cake in oven to bake. If you’re using loaf pans, start to test the cake after about 40 minutes. If using your bundt, it will need about 1 hour (test after 55 minutes). Cake tester should come out clean when it’s done.

After

This recipe makes 2 loaves of 8 inch x 4 inch or 4 mini loaves. In our 'experiment', we got 1 regular loaf & 2 minis. 1 mini loaf was quickly mysteriously disappeared while still fresh & warm from the oven :P

Yeah..they cracked in the middle but who cares??!! They were YUMMY!!!

Hannah at 4 Months

2009-12-30T07:03:00.003+08:00

Hannah is already in her 4th month!!! Time surely flies quickly when I'm enjoying every wonderful second with her. She seems to grow so fast in front of my eyes even though my mind still hanging on to images of tinier Hannah. I feel like I miss her in younger months, yet enjoying her development day by day at the same time. Weird, huh?? Well, I just don't how to explain but I bet every mother feels the same way too (do they??or am I the only one?).

About 3 weeks ago, I brought her to see her Paediatrician for her 3rd month check-up & vaccination. She was 6.45kg that time. I wonder how much does she weigh now as my arms get tired when I hold her for long.

While waiting for her Paediatrician

With her Lil' Miss Bee

Hannah's 4 Month Milestones

•Raises herself up on straightened arms while lying on her tummy and looks all around.

•She can grasp her toys (and many other things including Pappa's & Momma's hair. OUCH!! No dear, hair is NOT a toy OK - that includes Pappa's spectacles too :P)

•She laughs out loud, especially with high-pitched giggle.

•She squeals with delight (her new communication skill hehehe)

•She smiles spontaneously especially when she knows we are around. Sometimes, she fakes a cough to get our attention.

•She pays attention to very small objects.

Hannah watching Shrek the Third

•She experiments by making new sounds. Most of the times, she makes kitten/tweety bird-like sounds. Once we caught her sounded like pirate's 'AARRRR'. It was funny!! =D

"Hey Momma..Do I have milk on my tongue?"

WE LOVE YOU, LOVE YOU, LOVE YOU, DEAR HANNAH!!!

Cutest Baby of the Planet 2009

2009-12-28T02:04:00.002+08:00

Hannah Zahra binti Zainoirwan

D.O.B : August 28th, 2009

MomBloggersPlanet is organizing its final contest to close the curtain of 2009, which is the Cutest Baby of the Planet 2009.

And no doubt this time around, the organizer offers many amazing great prizes to be won by the lucky winners. Every participant has a chance to win a prize from outdoor photography packages/sessions to photography vouchers to hampers & shopping vouchers.

Thank you so much to the generous sponsors who are making this contest more irresistable & attractive.

I nominated my dear baby Hannah. Why don't you too? So, what are you waiting for? Start hitting the keyboard for the nomination entry.

Who knows it could be your baby's luck to win the grand prize worths RM 2,180.

Simply follow the steps as stated in MomBloggersPlanet http://mombloggersplanet.com/

Check out the details of the prizes too. I bet you would go gaga & drooling over the wonderful prizes (like I did :P)

And yeah..don't forget to link your nomination entry to: http://mombloggersplanet.com/2532/cutest-baby-of-the-planet-2009-nominate-your-baby/

F.A.T aka G.E.M.U.K

2009-12-16T11:17:00.002+08:00

This was an overheated conversation between a regular patient & I yesterday. Lets just call him 'H' anyway. I was never fond of him because I always thought he was a cuckoo with a really bad manner. Usually I would just ignore him but yesterday he really went overboard.

H : Orang lain lepas beranak makin kurus. Kau (referring to me) ni makin gemuk pulak!!! (with a very irritating sarcasm tone)

Me : Hmmm...dah sedap makan, nak buat camne?

H : Control la makan!!

Me : La..apasal yang kau sebok sangat aku ni gemuk ke kurus? Kalau aku makan sampai gemuk pun, satu sen ape pun aku tak makan duit kau!!

Then, I just stormed off from the dispensing room to my office before I started cursing him. Was I being hypersensitive with this fat issue? I don't think so. I got the fat comments a lot, I really mean 'A LOT' from colleagues, patients, friends & families. But I didn't mind because the way they said them were not meant to annoy.

I do realise that I have yet return to my pre-pregnancy weight & I still have 8kg (HUGE figure huh?) to shed. So far, the only method I use to reduce my weight is by consuming USANA Nutrimeal with strawberry milk for breakfast. I take rice for lunch & dinner.

Since I still breastfeed Hannah exclusively, I don't want my weight to reduce drastically that it affects my breast milk production (relevant justification? :P). I am going slow & easy with my weight loss plan. Up to date, still too early to observe any results as I take Nutrimeal on and off. To be honest, I am very bad with compliance. Lets just wait until end of this month if I succeeded to lose some figure OK??

The latest picture of Huge Hajar (with HUGE "H" :P)

Sorry Baby..

2009-12-15T12:50:00.002+08:00

This morning I woke up really late, at almost 7am. After quickly performed Subuh prayer, everything else went with a speedy. Luckily, I already prepared Hannah's EBM & packed her things last night. I managed to get to Hannah's nursery about 7.20++ am.

Usually Hannah was still sleeping or in blur when I sent her. Today, she was awake with a smile on her face the moment Sayang picked her up & put her in the car seat. She was still smiling when I handed her over to her teacher. After kissing her goodbye, she instantly cried loudly, sensing that I would leave her behind. Her cry stopped me and I took her in my arms. She became quiet immediately. I just hold & talked to her for a few minutes. Then I handed Hannah to her teacher for the second time. And she started to cry again. I almost cried myself but managed to hold my tears. I left her quickly & never turned back again. I just got in my car & switched on the radio to the blast to distract myself from crying & thinking about her.

Her cry still haunt me now & for the rest of the day until I see Hannah again. I'm really sorry, Hannah. It wasn't easy for Momma either. I LOVE YOU, DEAR..

Dear mommies, if you are reading my post, kindly share with me your experience going through this. Today, this experience greatly damped my mood & spirit to work. And I can't afford to quit my job :(

On Everything for the Past Month

2009-12-13T08:00:00.000+08:00

On Returning to Work

I started coming back to work again on 2nd November. It even crossed my mind to call my boss and give him 24 hour notice of resignation on the night before. God, it was so hard to leave Hannah & get into the car. I cried badly with really really bad sad feeling for the first 3 days, eventhough I left her with Mak. Then, it was only bad sad feeling.

In the beginning, I found it was hard keeping up with my old pace with work. I just get busier every single day with piling of works & tasks. I can't even blog-hop to my favourite blogs, let alone updating my own during office hours. That explains the downtime of this blog. I foresee that this will happen again & again.

Despite of busy days at work, my heart is left at home with Hannah. I just really miss her so much. I brought her dirty cloths to work during the first week. Everything was messed up. I just didn't know where to begin, but I knew I just had to finish my work ASAP because my heart & mind were already racing to go home to see Hannah.

On Breastfeeding Hannah

Right now, I still manage to breastfeed Hannah exclusively. Although it is still a short period, I would say it is not an easy task to maintain. Nevertheless, I enjoy every second of the effort because I am giving her the best out of myself. My respect goes to mothers who are working fulltime, who are also having part-time businesses, breastfeeding their children and managing home & family at the same time. As for me, I'm still in the stage of fitting myself in juggling with my job, taking care of a husband & a baby, & keeping our home. So far, I would say.. I fail terribly :(

At work, I express milk twice - about 10 or 11am and 3 or 4 pm. Sometimes, if I arrived at work really early, I would express before started working. Dispensing is my main duty at work. So, I need someone to cover my job if I take the time to express milk. Here where 90% are male employers, it was hard for me to make them understand about expressing milk at work. No doubt about the diffidentness. After some explaination, everything is all well now. In a way, I do believe that I have their support too.

On Sending Hannah to nursery

Some time in mid-November, I started to send Hannah to nursery. I sent her earlier eventhough Mak was still around so Hannah could get used with the surrounding. The nursery is very near to my house, about just 5-minute drive away. So far, she fits well. I just pray that she won't get ill easily.

Mak didn't agree with the idea of sending Hannah to the care of others. Her reason was Hannah is too young to be sent to nursery. Believe me, I don't like the idea myself. There were few times that Mak voiced out her wish to take Hannah & care for her in Kuching until she turns 6 months. And each time, I rejected her wish, and one time with a loud NO!! accompanied with tears from my eyes. Sorry Mak, if I was rude, but I can't be parted from Hannah. She's mine & Sayang to take care of. Hannah is our daughter & our responsibility now. I hope you understand our decision against your wish. You are my mother and & I am sure you know my feelings if i were to be far from her.

Dear Hannah, Momma & Pappa apologise that we pay someone else to care for you while we are out working. It is Momma's responsibility too to help your Pappa to provide for our little family. Don't ever forget that no matter where or when, MOMMA & PAPPA LOVE YOU SO MUCH!!!

Birthday Dinings

2009-11-12T10:41:00.000+08:00

I spent the last Saturday dining outside with beloved family in the occasion of celebrating my birthday.

Lunch with Puspa at Fig & Olive, Sunway Pyramid

Dinner with Sayang, Hannah, Mak & Puspa at TGIF, Wangsa Walk Mall

No other better way to spend the day with good food & the loved ones :)

Short Thank You Note to PRPDM Staff

2009-11-10T07:41:00.004+08:00

Birthday...Birthday...

...And I am one year older but not really wiser :P

I had a birthday surprise from my colleagues at work on last Tuesday. I was so shocked that I couldn't even blow off the candles on the blueberry cheesecake. I couldn't remember when was the last time I blew birthday candles. I felt like a child.

Anyway, my dear colleagues at PRPDM (Chow Kit branch), THANK YOU SO MUCH for the birthday celebration!!! You guys really got me!!! I was impressed how you all managed to pull the surprise together under my nose with the CCTV in my office. Good job!!! We should do it again for other staff, OK? :)

Meet The Natives

2009-10-29T08:21:00.001+08:00

It has been quite some time that I followed any television series religiously. I used to be hooked by the Las Vegas CSI, but no longer after William Petersen (Gil Grissom) left the show. Few of my favourites include Monk, House, Grey's Anatomy & Desperate Housewives. But I found it difficult to catch up with the new episode every week. And I am not the type who prefer to download from internet either (too LAZY for that).

Currently there is one show that attract my attention that has been aired in National Geographic Channel on every Sunday at 11pm. It's called Meet the Natives. however, I think the air time is quite late though and I have to catch the repeat on different day.

'Meet the Natives' is about the journey of 5 men from a tribe called Kastam from the tiny South Pacific island of Tanna, Vanuatu to land far away from theirs. The 5-men delegation was led by Chief Yapa, and was joined by Albi, Posen, Joel & Jimmy Joseph who acted as their translator.

I managed to catch the 1st episode which showed their experience staying with a couple, Simon & Bobby Watton in Norfolk. They were in a mission to meet & ask their God's son in human-bound who was Prince Philip to return to Tanna. What amused me was how polite were this native people even though they seemed rough. They would ask permission from their hosts before expressing their opinions to them.

I hope that I can follow their journey because I really want to know wether they can at least meet Prince Philip. I bet Prince Philip himself would be in great shock if he knew that he was worshipped by other people in different part of the world :D

"For years, anthropologists have travelled to the South Pacific to live with local tribes people and observe their traditional ways of life.

Meet the Natives follows two groups of men from the South Pacific island of Tanna – one venturing to the UK and the other travelling to the U.S. – to observe the natives of these exotic lands. From cattle roundups and snowball fights in Montana, to bars with drag queens in Manchester, and traditional fox hunting and a meeting with England's Prince Philip, these men experience some of the best – and most unusual – activities that each country has to offer. They provide a unique spin on life in the UK and America, filtering what they see through their own experiences and offering their perspective on homelessness, traditional gender roles, livestock artificial insemination, and more."

Source

Hannah at 2 Months

2009-10-28T13:41:00.000+08:00

It is amazing how fast another month has passed by. Today, Hannah turns 2-month old. This Saturday, we have an appointment with her Paediatrician for her check-up and vaccinations.

Next week, I will have to return to work. I really hate to leave Hannah. There were few times that I begged Sayang with tears in my eyes to let me quit my job. I feel miserable. After 2 months of waking up next to her and spending the whole day with her, it's going to be tough for me. Hopefully Allah will grant me strength to pass through this challenge.

Hannah's 2 Month Milestones

Follows an object as it's passed over her face
Steadily holds up her head
Smiles when I smile at her
Responds to loud sounds by becoming completely silent, crying, or acting startled
She coos
Sometimes she may laugh out loud

Alhamdulillah, until now I still manage to breastfeed Hannah. There were few times during breastfeeding, Hannah would pause for a while, then pulled her head slightly from my breast and stared at me. Sometimes, it would be accompanied by soft coos & smiles. Then she would return to her feed. The moments were so blissful even though only for few minutes. I still can repeat the images in my head.

Dear Hannah, if you were big enough to read this, hopefully you could hug or kiss Momma unexpectedly eventhough you were too busy with your life. That would be sweet :)

Momma & Pappa love you so much, Hannah...

Madam Lim's Kitchen

2009-10-27T08:11:00.001+08:00

On Saturday, we were in the mood of "wanted-to-go-out-but-not-so-far-from-home". So we went to Jusco AU2 Setiawangsa. No specific plan for shopping or anything, just to pass the evening. It ended up with us having really early dinner, at teatime (it was only 5pm+!!!), at Madam Lim's Kitchen Restaurant.

Hannah with no smile

Hannah with Momma & Pappa

We had plain white rice with :

Sweet & Sour Grouper (kerapu)

We ordered small size Grouper, which actually was quite big for 2 persons (somehow we managed to finish it after all :P). The Grouper was deep-fried (it was crunchy, but a bit bland) & covered with sweet & sour gravy.

Chicken Kung Pao - small portion (Not bad at all)

Sambal Udang & Petai (Prawns with stink beans in spicy gravy) - small portion

Sayang liked this the most. What I liked about this dish was the prawns were shelled, so you can just eat them right away without fuss (lazy me!! :P)

with

Passion fruit with Earl Grey Tea

Seriously a tasty drink. I liked it so much.

and

Cendol (with a thumb up :P)

After Maghrib, we didn't want to go home right away. So we headed to Great Eastern Mall. It was a different atmosphere there with Halloween theme, skeletons & cobweb. I think there was a booth in the concourse area selling masks & costumes for Halloween. Currently, they are having Great Eastern Mall Halloween Celebration going on until 1st November. The main attraction was Museum of Horrors. We didn't bother to check was it all about.

Go have a visit to the Museum of Horrors to scare yourself & let me know about it later ;)

Popeyes @ Wangsa Walk Mall

2009-10-26T08:12:00.001+08:00

Sayang came home early from work last Friday, which was very unusual of him. Normally he arrives about 8pm++ on weekdays. Since I didn't cook for dinner, Sayang decided to take us out to the nearest shopping complex to our place, the Wangsa Walk Mall, which was recently opened on 16th September this year.

Fortunately for us, there mall was not crowded at all, probably because it was raining & the main attractions like TGV cinemas & bowling alley are still in renovations. We had a try at Popeyes since we never heard about it before and couldn't decided what to have for dinner. TGIF was not an option at all.

The first Popeyes Louisiana Kitchen (famously known as just Popeyes) was opened in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. I'm not sure how many stores of Popeyes are already opened locally but I know the first Malaysian Popeyes franchise restaurant was officially opened in TTDI some time in January 2009.

We had spicy fried chicken & chicken sandwich. No pictures were taken since I was busy breastfeeding Hannah and Sayang was feeding both himself and I. The verdicts through my taste buds : I'll go to KFC for the fried chicken & stick to McD or Burger King for the burgers. But I would try seafood & desserts in the menu if I decided to dine there again.

And I already spotted my favourite shop in Wangsa Walk Mall which is F.O.S kids & teens. I was overwhelmed with their selections of babies & toddlers cloth collections there. Definitely in my "must drop-in shop" list :P

Some of Hannah's faces during our outing

Memoirs of 2009 Aidilfitri in Kuching

2009-10-23T08:25:00.007+08:00

I know it is too late for Aidilfitri entry but I don't really mind. Since we don't have the luxury of going back to my hometown, Kuching frequently, I feel it would be valuable for me to keep some of the 2009 Aidilfitri pictures here. I don't have many of this year Aidilfitri pictures anyway.

These pictures are for you, dear Hannah to get to know my relatives back in Kuching, whom you will only get to meet once in a couple of years. I want you to know that I always remember them & they are close to my heart eventhough they are far away from us & we don't get to see them often.

Iftar at Usu Akbar's home on the last day of Ramadhan with Hannah's & Umar Aziz's aqiqah dishes.

The main venue for the aqiqah was at Surau Kg Pinang Jawa.

At my Granparents' home at Kg Boyan on 1st day of Aidilfitri. With Mak's 2nd elder sister, Anjang Yah & family

Abg Adir's (my cousin) children

With Mak's younger brother, Uda Sidi

With Mak's youngest brother, Usu Dol

Kenduri at Usu Akbar's home

With my lovely cousins

Tonimer Baby Spray

2009-10-22T08:18:00.002+08:00

Last week I was in & out of few pharmacies around Wangsa Maju in search for Sterimar Baby. But I was out of luck since I couldn't find it at all. Most of the pharmacies only carry the regular Sterimar, not the one specifically for babies. I saw it once in outpatient pharmacy, Prince Court Hospital about 2 weeks ago but it didn't pass my mind to buy it that time.

There are no differences between Sterimar & Sterimar baby as both contain sterile sea-water isotonic solution & free from preservatives. I could use the regular Sterimar for Hannah but prefer Sterimar baby which comes with specially designed nozzle which fits into small baby's nostrils and diffuses fine & gentle-pressure sprays.

Since I couldn't get my hands on Sterimar baby, I asked Sayang to find it in pharmacies near his working area. He couldn't find it too but came back with something else, Tonimer Baby Spray from Guardian. It contains the same solution as Sterimar baby & comes with special nozzle for babies too.

I apply the spray on Hannah 3 times a day, after her bath in the morning & evening, and once before she returns to sleep in the middle of the night after changing her diaper. Each time with 2 sprays. I can see that her condition gets better after using the spray. Her snuffles are less now & the sound of them are not as loud as before. It really helps clearing the mucous and loosens the dried mucous in the nostrils as well. Next time, I will use it to relieve unpleasantness of blocked ears during flight take off & landing for Hannah, just in-case.

They are challenges during applying the spray on Hannah. It is hard to aim for her nostrils as her head moves as she struggles every time I hold her sideways. Then, comes her cry after each application which makes me feel guilty, it feels like I'm hurting her, quite heartbreaking actually (kesian la anak Momma sorang nih...huhu). So, every time before I apply the spray, I always tell her that I feel sorry that I have to force her to this but I just want her to get better. I hope you understand, Hannah.

Momma love you, lots & lots of it...

Lazy Evening

2009-10-21T08:30:00.001+08:00

It has been raining in late evening lately. For entertaining Hannah during this time or while feeding her, I always play songs or nursery rhymes that I keep in my laptop. One of my favourites is Banana Pancakes by Jack Johnson. Hannah seems to enjoy it too.

Another one of my favourite is Butterfly by Lenny Kravitz. It's a very short song with simple & sweet lyrics.

Inventive Tips to Stop Baby's Crying

2009-10-16T07:31:00.002+08:00

In the beginning of my motherhood (not that I'm an expert now ;P), I always tried to understand Hannah, like trying to decode her cries & and match with her needs. I even bought a book about baby's behaviours & development because there was a point that I thought Hannah was too clingy & fussy in the earlier days. I admit that it was quite stressful in the beginning caused from lacking of sleep, Hannah's long feeding time, my own recuperation etc (you name it).

On my quest trying to conquer Hannah (not that I'm successful now :P), I even Google-d for tips to handle her. The common method is "5-S's", promoted by Dr Harvey Karp in his book & DVD, The Happiest Baby on the Block."5-S's" are swaddling, side or stomach positioning, shushing sounds, swinging and sucking.

This baby was lucky that her dad picked some tips from Dr Harvey. Dr Harvey should be proud of him.

I did bump into some interesting tips too. Perhaps "INVENTIVE" is more suitable word to describe these :)

Blowdryer could help too?? hmmm...

White noise of running water perhaps??

This is the funniest among all. Somehow it didn't work with Hannah. Yess..I tried :D

BONUS for Mommies : Another extra tip to handle toddler's tantrum

And who could ever forget this classic scene from P. Ramlee's Ahmad Albab.

Lastly, nothing to do with the tips, just a hilarious baby video :)

A close cousin of mine once told me that "The best teacher to teach you about your baby is the baby herself". Now I do understand what she meant.

Hannah & Rotaviruses Vaccination

2009-10-14T08:18:00.000+08:00

Hannah was due for her first dose of Rotaviruses vaccination on Monday, but I postponed the appointment to yesterday. We arrived at Tawakal Hospital about 12.15pm. I prefer to come in around afternoon for Hannah's visit to her Paediatrician, as I discovered that not many patients around this time. Yesterday was the last time I took Hannah to see her doctor during weekdays. Next visits need to be arranged on Saturdays, because I'll return to work next month (that reminds me I need to renew my Annual Retention & A Licence for 2010...hishh malasnya!!!).

www.rotarix.com

The Paediatrician performed routine checks on Hannah. She was alert during the whole check-up, looking up & around the Doctor's room as there were many toys hanging from the ceiling that attracted her eyes (perhaps Momma should get you hanging mobiles, Hannah). Hannah cried when the Doctor fed her with the vaccine, but quickly stopped after the dose was finished.

I managed to ask the Paediatrician about Hannah's snuffles. Yupp..Hannah has been snuffling for few weeks already. I was told that it is actually common with infants & nothing serious about it. But, being a new Momma, I am kind of worry as I assume it interferes with her breathing , and I do have history of allergy & asthma. The Doctor said I should not be worried about the snuffles unless they disturbed her sleep & appetite. Perhaps I should give Sterimar baby a try for Hannah's sake.

www.sterimar.com

Hannah now is about 62cm in height & weighs 4.85kg. She gained about half a kg since the last time I brought her to a GP in Kuching for circumcision, one & a half week ago. That time she was only 4.3kg.

Momma always pray for you to grow healthily & brilliantly, Hannah. Amin.

We're Back in KL...(again)

2009-10-12T08:09:00.006+08:00

We arrived from Penang yesterday evening about 5.30pm. We didn't go anywhere in Penang this time. Just stay at home & spent few hours in Queensbay Mall on Saturday. We didn't even go to our favourite eating places like The Kapitan's (my all time favourite restaurant for tandoori & kebab) & Line Clear (Sayang's favourite nasi kandar place) & Taman Tun Sardon food court (our favourite breakfast place).

Hannah was sleeping throughout the journey except crying few times for milk & changing her diaper. Good girl, Hannah!!!

Pappa & Hannah 'lepakking' at Gintell Massage Station

Lunch at Nando's

On Saturday night, we took the whole family out for dinner at Tari Cafe. Unfortunately, it was such a disappointment as the food was bad, and the service was even worse, unlike the good old times.

Dadi Sr. & Dadi Jr.

Dadi smiling sweetly

We're Back in KL

2009-10-08T07:08:00.003+08:00

Hannah and I are already here in KL. We came back from Kuching on Tuesday night, together with Mak accompanying us. The rain was pouring heavily causing low driving visibility when we were on our way to Kuching International Airport. Our scheduled flight was delayed twice, with total time of 45 minutes. Firstly, from 5.45pm to 6.10pm. Secondly, from 6.10pm to 6.30pm. I didn't expect this from MAS, but I guessed it was due to the bad weather. Not forgetting, we were charged RM60 because of excess baggage. That was pretty expensive. I think the excess baggage rate now for MAS is RM15 per kg. The last time I was charged for excess baggage was in 1999, returning to Kuching from KL after completing matriculation course. The rate was only RM3+ per kg that time.

Alhamdulillah, Hannah was well-behaved. She slept through the whole journey (she just loves to be held in arms), woke up only once when I changed her diaper immediately after we boarded the plane. A couple of steward & stewardess who welcomed us near the entrance were kind enough to let me use the toilet near the pilots' cabin before we took off [that's why I chose MAS instead of Air Asia, even though Air Asia fare was cheaper that day. The MAS staff are friendlier. It's easier to travel with MAS if you carry an infant as young as Hannah. Please correct me if I was wrong :). But, I would opt for Air Asia if the fare was cheaper & Hannah was older].

After I was done with Hannah & waiting in line to go to my seat, the handsome steward teased Hannah. She smiled back at him and then hid her face shyly on my chest as if she understood that she was teased (hmm...gatal gak anak dara aku ni ie twija dalam bahasa Sarawak :P). In the flight, she cried once for her milk. The rest of the journey was a little unpleasant. Why?? The man sitting next to Mak snored loudly. And there was another man who sat behind us was talking very loudly as if all the passengers would like to hear his voice for the entire trip. It was really annoying.

We arrived at KLIA about 8.30pm and Sayang was readily waiting for us. Did I mention Ramli Sarip was on the same flight with us?? :)

I already unpacked some of our luggage. But after this, I have to start packing again since we will hit the road tomorrow, travelling up north to Penang to visit Hannah's Dada & Dadi (Sayang's parents). This will be her first trip cum Raya visit to Penang. The last time Dada & Dadi saw Hannah was when she was only 2-day old. Since then, they only saw her pictures that I sent via MMS.

Hopefully Hannah will behave herself during the trip too. Be a good girl, OK Hannah?? :)

For You, Dear Pappa

2009-10-01T16:20:00.000+08:00

Sayang...

I know how much you miss Hannah. So here are some pictures that I took yesterday morning before & after her bath. It's getting harder to control her now while bathing her as she's getting heavier. And she kicks a lot in the water too. Sometimes, you can hear her voice "aaa--aaah" in the tub. I guess she really enjoys her bath now :)

We miss you, Sayang...Love you...

Dear Hannah, Not a Bedtime Story

2009-09-30T00:00:00.001+08:00

Assalamualaikum...

My dear Hannah...

Let Momma tell you a story. A story of an ordinary couple.

The story started 3 years ago when a lady, X was married to her dream man, Y. Together, they planned not to have any children until a year of their marriage due to pursuing their career paths. Somehow in the middle, X changed her mind and decided to have a baby. Not long after that, she was pregnant. Both X & Y was really excited & glad to have a picture of an additional family member to their little family.

Unfortunately, their happiness & excitement were short-lived when they found out that their tiny baby in the womb didn't have any heart beat during an antenatal checkup. X couldn't believe what the doctor said & instead went to see another 3 doctors. She was told the same news. The last doctor confirmed that she had miscarriage & her pregnancy was terminated at tenth week. The couple was broken-hearted & devastated, but convinced that it was just a challenge from Allah. They decided to try to have a baby again once X's health permitted.

Half a year later, they started to work on their baby project. Month after month passed by, the result for each attempt was negative. This situation involved lots of emotional roller coaster for the couple.

After a year of trying, both of them agreed to meet a fertility specialist. During one of the checkups, X found out that she had PCOS & suggested that she should undergo a procedure called Ovarian Drilling to improve her fertility condition. She hesitated in the beginning but later made up her mind to go through it. Unfortunately, the procedure didn't bring any good for them but further shattered their hope. The couple was told that they could only have a baby through IVF. Why? Because X was diagnosed with blockage of both Fallopian tubes. Y took the news calmly but X was enveloped with sorrow. She was so broken-hearted & felt her future was bleak. She spent 2 weeks of her sick leaves crying her eyes out, every hour & every day. Luckily, Y was a loving husband, who would calm her with soothing words & warm hugs.

Two weeks later, X's condition was further confirmed by another procedure called HSG. After went through almost a major emotional breakdown & depression, she decided to pick up the pieces, to accept their fate determined by Allah. However, X & Y planned not to try for IVF until another coming year.

A couple of weeks passed by. X noticed that she missed her menses but didn't give much attention to the matter. She thought it was only due to her hormonal disturbances after the procedure that she went through.

Few weeks later, she was still bugged with her menses issue & asked Y whether was it appropriate to perform a pregnancy test. She thought that it wouldn't hurt her anymore since she already expected the result to be negative. Y agreed with her wife & she did the test. Surprisingly, the test was positive. X cried when she saw the result but was not really convinced with it. The couple was jolted & decided to repeat the test after a week just for confirmation.

Came a week later, X prepared 3 pregnancy test sticks. Alhamdulillah, all the 3 sticks turned positive. X couldn't believe it & showed them to her husband. Y was really excited & hugged her wife. X cried joyfully in her husband's arms. They went to see a doctor immediately & did ultrasound. She was nervous to have an ultrasound check after what she experienced during the 1st pregnancy. Alhamdulillah, it was a miracle!! They saw the baby's heart beat. And Alhamdulillah the pregnancy went well for the couple as the were blessed with a beautiful baby girl.

Dear Hannah,

We are blessed with your arrival as you are truly a miracle for us. Do you know why? Because we were the couple in the story. Dear, the story was about Momma & Pappa and also you, Hannah.

And Alhamdulillah, praise be to You ya Allah, for giving us the chance to be parents when everything seemed so impossible & bleak. Without you grace & mercy, it would be impossible for these servants to taste parents' joy.

Ya Allah, please let us be in your continuous grace, mercy & guidance to lead our humble life together and for Hannah (and InsyaAllah our future children) to be a loyal & devout servant(s) of Yours. Amin.

An Old Treasure

2009-09-29T08:23:00.000+08:00

My Allahyarham Bapak seldom talked about his past when he was alive. And so do his other siblings. When he did talk about it, it was always about his hardship during childhood. I guess it wasn't easy for him to tell his children how difficult his childhood was.

This year, it was our 8th year of Raya celebration without Bapak. And this year, I was sad & a little disappointed that I couldn't visit Bapak's grave with Mak & other siblings as I am still in my confinement period.(Thank you, Sayang for taking my place instead)

During our visit to Usu Akbar's (Bapak's youngest brother) place, I found a priceless treasure in his keep. It was a family portrait of my father & his 5 other siblings with their mother when they were younger. I assume Bapak was in his early adolescence. I do think that my grandmother, Nenek Hjh Johara was a beautiful woman when she was young. It was a very rare treasure indeed & another valuable keepsake for me.

Front row (L-R): Anken (Eldest brother), Nenek Hjh Johara (Their mother), Cik Yak (4th & the only daughter/sister), Cik Fendi (Cik Yak's husband)
Back row (L-R): Usu Akbar/Kebar (youngest sibling), Anjang Wahab (3rd), Ngah Rashid/Kaji (2nd), Bapak (5th)

Hannah at 1 Month

2009-09-28T15:13:00.001+08:00

Hannah turns 1 month today. She's getting taller & heavier. Alhamdulillah, she's one healthy baby. I don't know exactly how much does she weigh, that needs to wait until her next appointment with her Paediatrician. By the way, that reminds me that I need to find a new Paediatrician for Hannah as I don't fancy the current one.

Anybody know a good one around KL, near Wangsa Maju/Setapak? Please, please let me know. Hopefully I can find one by the time Hannah turns 6 weeks for her first Rotavirus vaccine.

Hannah's 1 Month Milestones

Lifts her head briefly when on stomach

Responds to sound
Blinks at bright lights
Stares and focuses at faces

Sometimes follows object moved near her face
Makes sounds especially during breastfeeding
Turns towards familiar voices and sound

Sometimes smiles in response to her momma's smile ( I love this the most, she can just melt my heart)
Holds up her head at 45 degree angle sometimes
Sometimes holds her head steady when upright

Momma & Pappa love you, Hannah :)

p/s : Sayang, Hannah is a bit moody since youwent back to KL. I guess she misses you since you were the one who always kept her in your arms. I miss you too, Sayang...

Happy Birthday, Sayang!!!

2009-09-26T20:01:00.002+08:00

Salam Sayang...

Hannah & I would like to wish you

HAPPY BIRTHDAY ! ! !

May you always be blessed with wisdom, prosperity, happiness, love & all the best things always, with us beside you.

Hannah & I LOVE you so much, Sayang

XOXO,
baby Hannah & Hajar

p/s : Sorry that you had to go back this noon, dear. We didn't get the chance to celebrate properly. Hopefully we will have a belated birthday celebration once Hannah & I back in KL, OK? Love you, Sayang...mmmuuaaahhhss

Eid Mubarak

2009-09-21T23:50:00.001+08:00

Hopefully, it's still not too late to wish our dear families & friends

SELAMAT HARI RAYA AIDILFITRI

&

MAAF ZAHIR BATIN

image credits

Back for Raya at the Land of Hornbill

2009-09-16T18:00:00.002+08:00

This year we will celebrate Aidilfitri in my hometown, Kuching. Raya celebration will be more meaningful for Sayang & I this year since it's our first Raya with sweet Hannah.

Yesterday, on her 19th day, Hannah took her 1st fly with MAS. No doubt, I was really anxious travelling with an infant by flight, even though Mak & Puspa accompanied us. Alhamdulillah, she behaved well. She didn't cry during flight take off & touchdown, which made it easier for me to handle her. I put small pieces of cotton balls in both of her ears & fed her to cope with the pressure difference during those conditions. Hannah slept throughout the journey from our place at Wangsa Maju to Kuching. She only cried during the last 1 hour in the flight for her milk.

After this experience, I think I still don't have the confidence to travel alone with Hannah. Hopefully, I will be less anxious & more confident on the next trip returning to KL, InsyaAllah.

image credits

Still in Love

2009-09-11T16:15:00.001+08:00

I'm still in the phase of admiring my baby Hannah. I believe every mother goes through the same phase, doesn't it? It's just amazing how soothing an adult like myself can feel when looking at a baby. I guess that's why people call a newborn baby 'Bundle of Joy' - happiness comes in a tiny package :)

Hannah is already 2 weeks old. Her features do change slightly within the last 2 weeks. I just adore her slim, slender nails & fingers, and her curled eyelashes as well.

Faces of Our Little Miracle

2009-09-08T05:13:00.000+08:00

We didn't manage to catch many of Hannah's picture on the day of her arrival, because Puspa took my camera & Hannah was kept in the nursery due to unstable temperature. So, I just had to settle down with pictures that Sayang took using my hand phone, poor quality but at least something for my keepsakes.

Serious-looking baby :)

Some of Hannah's faces for the past 11 days :

Hannah on Grandmama's ie Mak's lap

Sunbathing Hannah

Not easy to catch Hannah with widely opened-eyes

Pappa & Hannah - 2 best things in Momma's life

Right now, I'm still in the phase of admiring & adoring every single bit of her from her tiny body parts to her innocent face, sweet smile & adoring gaze.

Hannah, you are Momma's & Pappa's little precious miracle. We both love you so much :)

The Moment of Miracle

2009-08-30T22:10:00.000+08:00

Weekend Plans

2009-08-27T13:50:00.000+08:00

I have few things to look forward for this weekend, if I were not in labour of course. I will drag myself & Sayang to KLCC for these :

L'Occitane Member's Day (27-30 August 2009)

Since the sales is up to 50% discount, I would love to grab some oils or lotions to relieve my skin itchiness.

BookFest @ Malaysia 2009 (22-31 August 2009)

Another good reason to splurge on books. Probably I can get good bargains on parenting or financial books to fill my maternity leave (as if I would have extra time for myself once the baby arrives :P)

Sloth & Monkey

2009-08-27T07:28:00.001+08:00

The baby inside my belly turns 39 weeks today. Alhamdulillah, so far I managed to fast since the beginning of Ramadhan. And yet, still no signs of labour. Last week, Dr Siti gave MC for another week. So, here I am, staying at home with nothing much to be done, and my condition right now doesn't really permit me to drive much to entertain myself anywhere else (read as SHOPPING COMPLEXES). I wished that Wangsa Walk Mall was opened by now.

Mama went back last Friday & Mak is here since last Sunday. The responsibilities of cooking & cleaning now have been taken care by Mak, & left me with nothing much to do except being much more LAZY. I don't have to think for what to cook for sahur & iftar as everything is decided by her. Mak managed to cook Terubuk Bakar (with Terubuk fresh from Sarawak water, not the ones from Thailand) & Rojak Kucai since she came (Puspa, eat your hearts out, sapa suroh sik mok datang hahahaha).

I'm very much confident that I'm officially a SLOTH now. If I could transform into one, I would crawl to the trees opposite of my house & hang from the branches back downward while feed on leaves long time ago :P

There will be another appointment with Dr Siti tomorrow. I have to prepare my mind for another vaginal examination, as I seriously don't like that procedure at all. Who does anyway?? It's painful & uncomfortable of course. (Oh, just deal with it..no complaints). Hopefully, it will be accompanied with more positive encouraging pre-labour news.

Few weeks ago, I wished that I could slow down the time to enjoy more out of the pregnancy. Now, I feel like pushing the fastforward button. Don't get me wrong. I do enjoy being pregnant, it's a great experience for someone like me. But going towards the end of the pregnancy journey, I just get tired of it & want to deal with the labour as soon as possible so I can hold my baby in my arms. I am looking forward for the moment.

At the time being, the most uncomfortable part is the skin itchiness, especially at the extended skin around my belly, ankles & fingers. It's just annoying & uncomfortable. I can't refrain myself from scrathing the parts most of the time. Mak even scolds me every time she catches me with scratching monkey act. I foresee ugly marks left behind :(

Sayang expects the little miracle will arrive during this weekend. I do pray so, InsyaAllah. We can't wait to see you dear :)

image credits

Ahlan Wasahlan Ya Ramadhan

2009-08-21T21:15:00.000+08:00

Ramadhan arrives again. Alhamdulillah, we are blessed to be alive to celebrate the holy month yet for another year. Lets grab this opportunity to fulfill the sacred Ramadhan with prayers, contemplation & reflection & lets pray that all our ibadat will be accepted by Almighty Allah, InsyaAllah.

InsyaAllah, during this fasting month as well, we will be expecting our new bundle of joy. Please pray for our health & safety, as I will pray for yours.

We would like to seek forgiveness for any our unkind words & wrongdoings from all our friends, families & whomever know us.

Sincerely,
Zainoirwan & Hajar

image credits

Are We 'There' Yet?

2009-08-20T03:04:00.002+08:00

Today marks my 38th week of pregnancy. So far, still no signs of labour. My pelvic area feels heavy, & so do my feet due to oedema. My fingers are numb most of the times & occasionally become stiff. My skin around my belly becomes itchy & I can't stop myself from scrathing. Applying the stretch mark oil doesn't help with the itchiness (& not to mention the stretchmarks too huhuhu).

I was officially on MC starting on Monday, August 17th but still went to work due to several unfinished business, rested at home on Tuesday but went to work again on Wednesday for several hours with the help of my subordinate cum temporary chauffeur [thanks again Luffy :)]

I can't stand staying at home as I easily feel bored. You know that feeling : 'Wishing yourself at home while at work & at work while at home'?? Not really a good feeling though. Mama is here to accompany me. Pity her. I hope she's not bored staying at home with me. I wished that I could bring her out but not a good idea as well due to H1N1 fuss, & my heavy bottoms of course.

Like other pregnant mothers, I was supposed to feel that nesting instinct. Right now, the only thing that nests inside me is LAZINESS. Believe it or not, I still haven't completed packing the hospital bag (sorry Carol, aku janji ngan kau nak molah last week nak? huhuhu). Being in this state, Sayang doesn't even pushed me to hurry up with the packing or with anything else. So not helping right now. I wish I have more of that instinct so I can kick myself around the house doing more chores & kill the boredom.

Besides that, I have no feelings thinking about labour, not even a slight of nervousness despite 'gavaging' my brain & sight with articles & images of the topic. I'm so confused with myself now. Is this normal?? During my last appointment with the OB at 37th week of pregnancy (on Saturday, August 15th), she said my cervical dilatation was only about 1cm. The baby's weight estimation was about 2.8kg. I guess, the weight will hit 3kg at birth. Let's just wait what Dr Siti will say during my next examination tomorrow.

At the meantime, I can't wait to catch the rerun of The Contender Asia, something to light up my day. I wonder when is the 2nd season coming??

Lazy Sunday...

2009-08-17T00:23:00.002+08:00

What can I say?? The title spoke for itself. It was really a lazy Sunday. My belly felt so tight for almost half the day that it made me tired & helpless. Since Puspa already made a plan to visit me, I asked her to buy some dishes for our lunch on the way, after fetching Hafiz at Shah Alam.

I requested Puspa to bake some cookies for us to munch, since I had a pouch of Betty Crocker Double Chocolate Chunk Cookie Mix, with just some addition of oil, water & an egg. With help from Hafiz, both of them managed to bake about 2 dozens out of a it.

The lazy bumps :P hehehe

Lastly, thank you to Puspa & Hafiz for visiting & entertaining us today. Plus, thanks to Yanie, Bai & cheeky Zafran for coming as well. I believed it would be even a duller Sunday without you all coming by. Please come again :)

You Make the Call...

2009-08-14T05:13:00.000+08:00

My boss is away for a vacation trip that he forgot to tell me. I didn't mind that at all. The problem was we were scheduled to have whole clinic repaint work on Thursday & he wasn't here to make decisions about the colour schemes, payment & such. On Wednesday, I tried to contact him few times but to no avail & left him a message. Later, in the evening I received a call from him a short answer "You make the call".

Yeah..so I made my call. Previously, the whole clinic was in white. Since he left everything in my hands, I decided to paint the waiting hall, dispensing room & examination room with Primrose Yellow (by Nippon Matex). I wonder how will he react when he comes in next week :P . Somehow, I really like it. The colour uplifts the ambiance.

For my own office, I chose purple (since I love the colour so much). I feel like there is some kind of serenity in it. Good, if next time I felt like losing my temper, I could just retreat to my office & find a moment of peace before continue working. I even decided to paint our prayer room with it, so we can pray & rest in it serenely.

Now, I'm still waiting for my office cabinet to be installed (hopefully by today or early next week) so that my office makeover is complete & I can start my maternity leave in peace.

Face Mask & Influenza A (H1N1)

2009-08-12T15:00:00.001+08:00

I have to admit that I was so ignorant about this current pandemic. I didn't take any measures to protect myself against it. I even joined the crowd during the latest PC fair few weeks ago, even though I knew I could make myself susceptible to it.

It only hit me sometime last week when I realized that the total reported cases & fatalities due to influenza has kept on raising & not showing any signs of slowing down. Those who succumbed to the disease mostly had underlying risk factors. Since I am belonged to the high risk group (being pregnant & asthmatic), I have decided to at least wearing a face mask when going out for my own & baby's sake.

So here I am, feeling so 'uncool' with a face mask at work :P

OMG..I'm so 'mammothly' huge

Insatiable Desire : Updated

2009-08-11T19:31:00.006+08:00

After practicing my skills as an extortionist on a particular subordinate (thank you so much Luffy :D), I managed to get these later in the noon :

FRESH NEW STOCK OF COCONUT WATER for at least another 5 days.

YEAY!!! To the freezer you go :)

Insatiable Desire

2009-08-11T07:13:00.007+08:00

Since early of my pregnancy, I didn't have much food to crave for. Most of the things that I craved were really normal just like other pregnant women such as chocolate, ice cream & other sweeties. Yeah, I had sweet tooth, which of course unhealthy until the point that I was scared that I would suffer from gestational diabetes. I believe that I have high risk for it since my beloved Arwah Bapak suffered from diabetes himself. Alhamdulillah, until now my blood sugar level is still in normal range. I remember that I had no problem at all swallowing a whole mug of very thick oversweet syrup during the glucose tolerance test.

The other food that I really desired was from Mak's cooking like Mee Jawa, Beef Rendang & Daging Masak Hitam which were all fulfilled of course every time Mak came to visit. I wished that I could import some local Kuching food like Rojak Kucai, Mee Jawa Special from Satok & Laksa Sarawak at somewhere near Kulas (hmmm..drooling..drooling). The weirdest so far I could say Maggi Tom Yam once or twice, as I normally don't eat Maggi, but that was not a problem at all since it's available almost anywhere. Other that those mentioned, I don't have any weird-hard-to-get cravings.

For the past 2 weeks, I developed liking for dates & coconut water. 2 things that my day incomplete without them. Nothing weird of course, as both are easily available anywhere. I was not really a fan of dates before & would only eat them during breaking fast in Ramadhan occasionally. Nowadays, I just can't resist the heavenly sweet fruit. My favourite is of course Ajwa dates (kurma Nabi) but since I couldn't find it, I opt for other brands of honey dates. I prefer the type that not totally dried-up ones with some sweet juices left inside their flesh. I keep some in my handbag so I can eat them anywhere especially in the car while driving to & return from work.

Who doesn't like a drink of cold young coconut water?? I love it so much that I need it everyday. I prefer the ones that are sold at Chow Kit Market as I find them fresher, sweeter & cheaper (about RM2.50 only per fruit), probably due to the sellers get their new supply of fresh young coconuts everyday for their high customer demand & flow there. In my condition right now, it's very inconvenient & hard for me to walk to the market to satisfy my craving for the drink, although the market is only about 10-minute walking distance from the clinic.

My solution to the problem is to ask my staffs to pack the coconut water for me every time they go to the market. And each time, I request for 4-5 packs of it that last me 5-7 days of coconut water supply. I put them in the refrigerator in the office before going home. Then, take them out & continue freezing them at home. Whenever I feel like having some, I just take out 1 pack to thaw. And it tastes sooo GREAT!!! And trust me when I say 1 pack is not enough. So far, this is the weirdest act of myself to satisfy my craving. Somehow, it feels like practising for thawing the EBM for the baby later :D

Thawing process of frozen coconut water in progress :P

Pregnancy Updates at Week 36

2009-08-10T02:09:00.001+08:00

I can't believe how fast time passes by these days. Now at 36 weeks, I wish for every second to tick a bit slower, if possible turning back the time to a few months earlier to the time I was 5-6 months pregnant, so that I could enjoy the moments a bit longer. Of course it's impossible, but at the same time I can't wait to see my baby, to hold the miracle in my arms..in our arms. There are times that I can't imagine myself being a mother & both of us as parents.

On Saturday, I went for another antenatal checkup with Sayang at Tawakal Hospital. This time we went out really early, about 8am as we made an arrangement with Aidah later in the morning to go to Seremban to visit dear Rosey & her family. I managed to register early just before 8.30am & went down again to meet Sayang at nearby restaurant for breakfast. We went up to the clinic about 9am to wait for our turn. We were lucky enough to be the first couple to be called in to the doctor's room when she arrived about 9.20+ am.

It was just like previous routine checkups. I got my result for GBS test that was performed during previous my previous visit. Alhamdulillah, the result was negative. According to Dr Siti, the baby is already dropped down into pelvic area & my lump is actually noticeably lower down. I guess that is why my breathing is much easier, although I need to pass urine more frequent these days. Dr Siti also mentioned that the placenta has matured (not really sure whether it's a good or bad sign). There is no doubt that I feel heavier this time around. Aidah told me that I walked like a PENGUIN, & she got tired just by looking at me walking. Changing positions give me aches most of the times. My feet are started to develop oedema, hence the cramps & pains. I noticed the numbness of my hands especially the left one happens more often.

Alhamdulillah, the little one is in excellent condition, with weight estimated slightly more than 2.5kg. Dr Siti reminded me the signs of labour that made myself put a big note in my head to pack the delivery bag. She gave me another 1 week + before the baby arrives. Definitely earlier than the EDD, September 3 (I was expecting myself to give birth at some time during the first week of Ramadhan). I already took out the things that I wanted to bring but still haven't managed to put them inside the bag (I think it's a sign for myself that I am not ready to go through labour yet or I am just plain L-A-Z-Y). Hopefully, I'll be able to pack everything before this mid-week, so I can concentrate on other preparations or just have lots of rest & prepare myself for the arrival :)

Thank You HOE..HOe..hOE

2009-08-08T01:03:00.001+08:00

I received some baby products from our biggest drug supplier, HOE Pharma yesterday. Hoe Pharma is a local drug company that actually specialize in dermatological products, hence the name 'King of Creams' among their customers. This is the same company that manufactures & introduced the famous Ellgy Plus Cracked Heel Cream & the latest one, A Bruzzy Gel to the market.

I was given the baby skincare range from the company which is called Ezerra, which consists of gentle cleanser, cream, lotion & liquid talc. All of the products contain Stimu-tex AS (Spent Grain Wax, Butyrospermum Parkil Extract & Argania Spinosa Kernel Oil) that alleviates symptoms of dry, itchy & irritated skin. The whole range can also be used for babies with atopic dermatitis that normally associated with skin dryness, itchiness, redness & irritation.

Ezzera is a plant-based non-steroidal topical formulation, which is especially suitable for children below 2 years old & older children. It is also fragrance-free.

Ezerra Extra Gentle Cleanser is 3 times more gentle cleanser & free from Sodium Lauryl Sulfate (SLS) and Sodium Laureth Sulfate (SLES), hence the suitability to be used as daily cleanser for children with atopic dermatitis.

What really caught my eyes was Ezerra Liquid Talc. It claims that it is the first & only liquid talc containing Stimu-tex AS that provides relief to discomfort due to prickly heat. It is formulated using natural tapioca starch which is 100% talcum-free, absorbs oil & excess moisture on the skin without drying it. Another feature of the product is unlike traditional baby powder which contains talcum & may be harmful if inhaled, Ezerra Liquid Talc smoothes as liquid & dries to give a talc sensation without risk of inhalation.

I do believe that this range of products is as good as other famous baby skincare range such as Sebamed & Eubos, since they are manufactured by a well-known pharmaceutical company in Malaysia. Ezerra is available at paediatric clinics & soon at all leading pharmacies. The prices are definitely affordable & competitive.

Complementary skin care tips

Prickly heat can be prevented. The following ABC steps may help to prevent flare-ups.

Avoid sweat inducing activities
Bathe regularly during hot humid weather
Clothing : Wear loose fitting cotton clothing

p/s : Thanks again Sean from Hoe for the thought & great items!!

All information & pictures were obtained from product inserts & company website.

Al-Fatihah..

2009-08-06T08:48:00.003+08:00

To my beloved best friend, Rosey & family,

Salam takziah atas kehilangan ayahanda tercinta semalam. Kehilangannya turut kami rasai.

Semoga roh Allahyarham Pakcik Rusli sentiasa dicucuri rahmat & ditempatkan di kalangan orang bertaqwa. Amin.

Al-Fatihah...

I'm feeling...

2009-07-29T11:21:00.001+08:00

Last night when I stared at my feet, I realised they looked wider & squarish.

Now, I feel sooo...

HUGE

WIDE

SQUARISH

like...

INCREDIBLE HULK!!!

(minus the GREEN)

huhuhu...

Assam Laksa @ Timeless Penang

2009-07-29T00:40:00.001+08:00

Last Saturday, we ran out of ideas of outing places. We've bought most of baby's stuffs, & going out of the home appeared to be pointless. Somehow, both of us managed to drag our bottoms off from being sunk inside the couch. Plus, I had encountered some annoying flu bugs that left me with unstoppable annoying sneezes and a red nose just like Rudolph the reindeer.

We decided to go to Berjaya Times Square since it had been a while since our last time there. We arrived about 6 pm & just roamed around unproductively for a while. While browsing the end of the 1st floor, I had the sudden urge of going to the loo. At the corner just before entering the hall door towards the toilets, there was a cafe named Timeless Penang caught Sayang's eyes. I really think that Sayang has this 'thing' for any cafes/restaurants with 'Penang' mentioned somewhere in the name :P

He was suddenly hungry. So we sat down & he ordered assam laksa with white coffee. I just had toasted breads with kaya & hot honey tea. I had no appetite to eat due to sneezing heavily before that it hurt my throat.

To my surprise, Sayang really enjoyed his assam laksa & complimented it countlessly. That was the second time he complimented any assam laksa in KL. The last time he really liked assam laksa in KL was many years back when we were students. It was from a cafe at the top floor of Mid Valley Jaya Jusco. I think it is still there, but with different management & definitely different taste of food too. I still can remember that people could wait in long line to get their food & waited eagerly at the sides of your table while you were still trying to enjoy & finish your food.

I did have few mouths of the laksa as well, with my impaired taste buds of course. My verdict : I liked it too. The gravy was not too heavy like the traditional laksa or too commercially diluted. It tasted somewhere in the middle & really suited my taste. Well, Sayang seemed really to enjoy it that he cleaned the whole bowl. That was something very rare for me to see actually. To tell the truth, I was amused with his act with that laksa :D

He liked it so much that he said " VERY GOOD!!!" to the cafe owner when he asked Sayang how was the laksa. I can foresee that we will go there again to have more bowls of assam laksa (hopefully before my baby comes). Next time, I'll get my own bowl of it.

Image googled, since no pictures were taken due to flu bug

Not Well...

2009-07-27T15:08:00.001+08:00

I have been attacked by the flu bug since Saturday & unfortunately still down with it now despite taking antihistamine. Last night, I felt a bit of feverish accompanied with mild sore throat but those were enough to disturb my readily interrupted sleep the whole night. Not forgetting the headaches too.

This morning, I somehow managed to force myself out of the bed to go to work. But to no avail, I couldn't focus & almost fall asleep while staring blankly at my laptop. Then, I decided to take half day off again to go to clinic. So I drove to the clinic near Wangsa Maju Putra LRT. It was empty when I arrived. It took me about 10 minutes before I got to see the doctor. So, when I was called in, I told him about my sickness. He took my temperature (he said my temperature was OK...yeah sure it was, since I took paracetamol before I came duhh), listened to my chest with his stethoscope & checked my throat using a torchlight. His conclusion was the fever & sore throat were caused by the flu & bla bla bla. I just couldn't be bothered because I already expected his words.

The whole process took less than 10 minutes & I was charged RM20 with prescription of some lozenges (some cheap brand) for the throat & chlorpheniramine. I rejected the paracetamol since I have tons at home & should have rejected chlorpheniramine too. I just hate its overdrying effect after consumption. I should have asked for actifed. I just needed the MC actually hehehe...

After that, I stopped for a while at Alpha Angle with the intention to take away lunch & ended up at buying groceries from Jusco & went straight home.

So my plans after this are to relax while watching P.S. I Love You (with Hilary Swank acting in it), while enjoying my Hot Cup Maggi Tom Yam (unhealthy but I have been craving for it since last week) & later, top up with some ice cream for dessert (again unhealthy but good for the temperature...hmmm bad for the throat unfortunately). Definitely, I will need lots of tissues around.

Hopefully, I can manage a nap while watching the movie & wake up feeling better, InsyaAllah ;)

Sisterly Date & Harry Potter 6

2009-07-25T03:04:00.000+08:00

On Wednesday, I took the noon off just to watch Harry Potter & the Half-Blood Prince. Since Sayang was not keen on HP, I saw it my sister, Puspa. It had been ages since the last movie that we saw together in cinema. I think the last one we watched together was the first installment of Pirates of the Caribbean, way back in 2003. I was doing my housemanship in Kuching while she was waiting for her SPM result that time.

Puspa managed to purchase the tickets online a week earlier for us to watch in KLCC. We arrived there about 4.30pm & went to musolla for Asar prayer first. Then, we dropped by at Burger King to sneak in stackers & fries into the cinemas since both of us skipped lunch.

My 2 favourite actors in the movie were actually Alan Rickman & Helena Bonham Carter. As usual, Alan Rickman played brilliantly for the part of Severus Snape. I love how he brought Snape's character to life since in the beginning of HP movies. He was perfect for the character. Carter played well for the part of Bellatrix Lestrage eventhough she had fewer scenes in this movie. Both of Rickman & Carter once appeared together in the musical movie, Sweeney Todd : The Demon Barber of Fleet Street (2007) with Johny Depp. Rickman played the character of Judge Turpin while Carter as Mrs Lovett.

Helena Bonham Carter as Bellatrix Lestrange

Alan Rickman as Severus Snape

In this sixth HP installment, I was actually more interested with the darker story & the beginning of Voldemort as compared to other scenes of teenage romance. But that didn't dismiss the fact that most of the humours actually came from the romance scenes to light up the story line.

I cried when it came to the part which Dumbledore was killed by Snape's killing curse, "Avada Kedavra", eventhough I already knew that. Silly me!!! I cried when I read the part in the book, but still couldn't hold my tears when Dumbledore actually begged Snape to kill him in the movie. Probably just pregnancy hormones expressing themselves :P

As conclusion, the movie was tolerably OK only, as I already expected it to disappoint me. For myself, the movie was only a sort of summary of the book. I definitely enjoyed the book better.

Dinner @ Cosy Place

2009-07-23T16:58:00.001+08:00

On Saturday night, we had Aidah as our guest & decided to bring her out for dinner before her sister picked her up. So we drove around Carrefour & Wangsa Link looking for a place to dine, but nothing caught our appetite. Sayang drove down to Wangsa Maju KLSC (Kuala Lumpur Suburban Center) at Section 5 where we saw the signboard "Restoran Cosy Place". We thought it was probably newly opened since we never saw it before.

Stepping inside the restaurant, it really matched the name. The restaurant was really cosy indeed!! I loved the English cottage style decoration. The background music was really soothing. The waiters & waitresses were really nicely dressed in long-sleeved shirt, completed with vest uniforms, just like in fancy restaurants. Overall, the ambiance was excellent for family dining experience.

In the beginning, we only thought the restaurant served only western cuisines. Oh boy, we were wrong!!! When we opened the menu, it came to our amusement that they served local cuisines as well. None of us had western food. Sayang ordered Char Koay Teow, Aidah had Thai Spicy Fried Rice & Sweet Sour Chicken with rice for the pregnant lady. Aidah & I shared the dessert, apple sorbet. The food was good & came in generous portion too. Overall, the service was fine. Last issue, the bill definitely was affordable :)

What could I say about the dinner? Good food, good place, good price & definitely excellent companies!! :) I enjoyed it so much with my 2 dear companions.

Such a pleasant ending to a long tiring day..

The Best Cendol in Town? Are You Sure??

2009-07-22T15:32:00.000+08:00

Cendol is one of Sayang's few all-time favourite desserts. So far in KL, he only enjoys cendol from Little Penang. According to him nothing can beat the cendol from Penang Road in Penang. We haven't yet tried any cendols from the moving vans that we always see by roadsides, although some of them I believe are popular, as normally we saw them on the way to somewhere & really lazy to stop. We have this habit of comparing every food that we try in KL to Penang's & always get disappointed, as they always don't meet the Penang's standard & taste (what could I say, Sayang is from Penang & he is so used to Penang's good food).

Last Saturday, after my antenatal checkup, Sayang wanted to try cendol at Restoran Wahab, which is newly opened in Sri Rampai Business Park. I guessed the self-proclaimed "THE BEST CENDOL IN TOWN" sounded really alluring enough for both of us. I ordered the regular cendol while Sayang chose the one with pulut (glutinous rice). We also had rojak, or pasembor as Penangites call it but in simpler version.

The verdict : a really BIG DISAPPOINTMENT!!! Everything that we ordered edible but not enjoyable at all. Totally disaster!! The regular cendol that I ordered was just plain smooth green rice noodles in chilled coconut milk and gula melaka (coconut palm sugar). That was it!!! No other condiments!!! No red beans nor sweet corn!!! Just really PLAIN & BORING!!!

I checked the menu after that & realised that they charge separately for the condiments. Some sort of Air Asia or Tune Hotel business style where you have to pay extra for extra services. The price for plain cendol starts at RM2.10, and cendol with sweet corn or red beans is charged RM2.40 each.

That signboard with the self-proclaimed sentence definitely unsuitable & inappropriate at all, & misleading too. I really think that Mr Wahab, the owner should go out more & try cendols at other people's places first before claiming his cendol is the best.

Pregnancy Update at 33 Weeks

2009-07-20T23:45:00.001+08:00

On Saturday morning, I had another monthly antenatal checkup with Dr Siti at Tawakal Hospital. After learning from my previous lessons, I registered slightly early this time about 9am at the clinic's reception counter, & managed to be the 10th patient in the waiting line. After taking the routine weight (I'm 64kg heavy, gained 2kg from the last checkup) & urine monitoring, I walked to McD for breakfast.

About 11.30am, it was my turn to see the doctor (thank God for the breastfeeding book inside my handbag, I managed to read few good couples of pages & killed the time). Alhamdulillah, the little miracle is in well condition. Baby's head is already positioned inside the pelvic area. Shortness of breath & nausea are quite common these days, probably due to the growing uterus pushing up diaphragm & stomach. Baby's weight is almost 2.3kg now (gained about 1kg from previous checkup).

For the past few days, I have been feeling numbness in my fingers & hands. From the articles that I read, the numbness is the result of increased pressure due to water retention. I even mentioned to her about my problem sleeping at night. She told me that the condition is very common to women at my stage of pregnancy. Her advice was to sleep on the left side. That is so true as I find that is the most comfortable position to sleep.

During this follow-up, I requested Dr Siti for Group B Strep (GBS) test eventhough according to her, the test is not a routine & compulsory practice in Malaysia. Normally, the test is done by swabbing the lower vagina & it is a simple, painless procedure. The purpose for it is to detect the presence of GBS during pregnancy. A mother can pass GBS to her baby during delivery & may cause illness to the baby. To prevent this, the woman who tested positive for GBS will be given IV antibiotics during labour. That was the particular reason why I felt that I should take the test. The test wasn't expensive, I was charged RM36 only for it. For more information regarding GBS, please click here, here & here.

At this time around, we discussed about my birth plan details & I was given an admission form for me to bring during hospital admission for labour later on. I even asked Dr Siti whether the hospital had any Lactation Specialist. Unfortunately, they have none but I was told that the nurses will guide through the first breastfeeding process & during hospital stay. I surely hope so, just in case if I had any breastfeeding problems, it would be great to have someone experienced to help besides the information that I picked up from the breastfeeding book.

I told her about my plan for exclusively breastfeeding my baby & I was glad that she was so supportive of the idea. She herself exclusively breastfed her 2 children until the age of 2 years old each. She taught me how to do breast massage & told me I can start as early as now. She also reminded me that it will no be an easy process but worth every effort.

Best Friends Forever..

2009-07-19T18:47:00.005+08:00

On Saturday afternoon about 3pm, I met Aidah at HKL to visit Rose's father in the Oncology ward. Rose's mother & sister were there when we came. We chatted with them while waiting for Rose and her husband, Dziehan who came about an hour later. Aidah & I stayed there until almost 7pm, spending our time catching up with Rose & each other.

Yes..my darlings, Aidah & Rose. No matter what, through rain or shine, through joy or sorrow, I pray that our friendship will remain high & strong, InsyaAllah. I appreciate & treasure our bond together & support for each other through out the years. I always love you both :)

p/s : Dear Rosey, we will always pray for your father's health & hopefully he will recover soon, InsyaAllah. For the time being, please be strong for yourself & your family. Take care, babe..

When Tired Eyes Refused to Shut...

2009-07-19T04:22:00.000+08:00

I've been having problems with sleeping for the past few weeks. My night sleep is disturbed at least 3-4 times either by the urgency to pass urine, leg cramps, backache, difficulties turning over in bed or sometimes this little miracle gets to active and lands kicks randomly.

It was about 12am last night, my eyes were tired & my body was aching but still I couldn't put myself to rest & sleep. I'd been craving for chocolate torte & already had most of the ingredients, so I decided to bake it. Yupp..baking at 12.30am?? Silly me!! And I didn't really mind as the torte was easy to bake.

The recipe is actually called Chocolate-Pistachio Torte from http://www.marthastewart.com/

Martha's version of the torte

Ingredients (Serves 10)

1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, cut into small pieces, plus more for pan
1 cup all-purpose flour (spooned and leveled), plus more for pan
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
8 ounces semisweet chocolate, coarsely chopped
1 1/4 cups sugar
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
2 large eggs
1/2 cup low-fat buttermilk (I replaced this with low-fat milk since I couldn't find buttermilk)
3/4 cup shelled, unsalted pistachios, coarsely chopped (I omitted this)
1/2 cup heavy cream
4 ounces semisweet chocolate, coarsely chopped
1/4 cup shelled, unsalted pistachios, coarsely chopped (I replaced this with chopped walnut)

Directions

Make cake: Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter and flour an 8-inch round cake pan (I used 8 x 8 inch square pan); line bottom with parchment or waxed paper. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, salt, and baking powder. Set aside.
In a large heatproof bowl set over (not in) a saucepan of simmering water, melt butter and chocolate, stirring frequently, 4 to 5 minutes. Remove bowl from pan. Whisk in sugar and vanilla, then eggs, buttermilk, and pistachios. Fold in flour mixture just until combined.
Pour batter into prepared pan. Bake until a toothpick inserted in center comes out with a few moist crumbs attached, 60 to 70 minutes. Let cool in pan 5 minutes; run a knife around edge, and invert onto a wire rack. Remove paper, and let cool completely, about 3 hours. (To store, wrap in plastic, and keep at room temperature, up to 3 days).
Make ganache: In a small saucepan, bring cream to a simmer; remove from heat. Add chocolate, and let stand 5 minutes; whisk until smooth. Let cool until mixture falls back in ribbons when lifted with a spoon, 2 to 6 minutes.
Set cake on a serving platter; tuck strips of parchment paper under edge of cake to prevent ganache from dripping on platter. Pour ganache onto center of cake; using a table knife, spread evenly over the top and down the sides. Let set, about 30 minutes. Remove paper from under cake; sprinkle top with pistachios.

Fresh from the oven

I finished baking about 2.15am last night & let the torte cool more than overnight. I just finished it up with the ganache. It looked smaller because I ate almost half of the torte earlier without the ganache :P

My version of chocholate torte

I'd Been Hit..again

2009-07-16T13:15:00.000+08:00

Harrod (the name I call my Kelisa) had been hit again yesterday. It was the second time this year. The 1st one was when I was on the way to work few months back. Luckily, just really minor scratches at the rear bumper.

Yesterday, as usual I took my normal route going back home via Jalan Genting-Klang. At a junction just opposite Wisma Mutiara Genting, I stopped at the back of a car turning to the right. I wanted to go straight but didn't bother to overtake the front car & decided to wait patiently for it to pass through, since the other lane was packed (and I was listening to an usrah's discussion about SABAR on IKIM fm :P). It took quite some time for the front car to cross through the T-junction as the opposite road was quite busy & there was no traffic light.

As the front car continued to cross the road, my car was about to move when I felt a jerk coming from behind. I turned my head & saw a Chinese man driving a red Kembara. I didn't get his car registration number, just it started with WMD and something something something. In my heart, I prayed that it was not bad, just few scratches the most. He signalled me to go to the less busy opposite road near Wisma Mutiara Genting. I decided to take right turn at another T-junction which was clear & just few metres in front, not far from the earlier one.

I took the turn & headed back to Wisma Mutiara Genting to find the man & his Kembara. And to my dismay, he was no where to be seen. So I just pulled over at the side of the road & had a check at Harrod's rear. Alhamdulillah..I was right. No dents at all, just scratches forming partial impression of the Kembara's front bar at the rear bumper. Not more than that.

As for myself, I was grateful that nothing happened to me & my baby. Alhamdulillah..

And for you, the Kembara's owner : You are one COWARD man!! You should feel guilty for hitting a pregnant woman & I deserve at least an apology!! Be responsible for your own act!!

p/s : Referring to my previous post, this supports that gentlemen indeed an endangered species!!

Gentlemen : Endangered Species??

2009-07-15T07:19:00.004+08:00

This was something that I experienced myself, couple of weeks ago, at one of parking autopay machines at Alpha Angle, Wangsa Maju. I was just briefly reached to a queue at the machine when suddenly a young man in his early 20s arrived from the elevator & cut line right in front of me!! He acted as if he did nothing. I was shocked with his ungentlemanly conduct but chose to keep silence. (Hello?? I was already in line when you reached the top of the elevator, okay?? Moron!!)

At the moment, there was another man in front of the young man. He didn't prepare his money & ticket earlier to pay for the parking. So when it came to his turn, he digged in to his pockets, searching for coins & ticket. It did take quite some time that the young man in front of me started to lose his patience & turned back to me, & started to make faces intended for the other man, some sort of expressing his unsatisfaction, of course. How immature was that??!!

I was still in anger with him for cutting my queue earlier. So, I just ignored him, rolled my eyes & turned away my face, showing my unsatisfaction towards him for behaving badly before that (yeah..really childish!!).

Shhiisshh...You idiot boy!! How could you cut a line right in front of a pregnant woman!! Thinking about it, I really should tell him off, so that he could learn a lesson & respect the others especially pregnant mothers & elderly.

Since the early of my pregnancy, I couldn't help to notice that small acts of good moral values & manners are slowly being ripped off from our society. I pray this is untrue..