Ladies day & cheese naan

What is more sinful than chocolat?
Cheese naan! And it is not just ordinary cheese , it's mozzarella!
Worth every single cent ok!

It tastes even yummier when you're having it with these two lovely ladies, mes amies Reen & Ratna (hey that's double R!)

Reen came all the way with ERL, all feverish and couldn't even taste tht delicious bread but that doesn't stop us from having a good laugh.
That is also the first time meeting Ratna with her oh-so-lovely dread (sadly also the last as she shaved it off few days later, still looking gorgeous tho!)

Dear was being so nice to let me have my so-called ladies nite.
He took care of the babes which I must say,an excellent job.
Both girls smells even better than before I left them, lol!

Thanks to R & R for making it happen & the other R for being such a sweetie :)

I don't wanna go to school!

She slept late and woke up cranky this morning.

Refusing to go to school and get into her uniform.

That little drama queen made daddy woke up and talk into her.

Holiday doesn't work.

Her fav Kit Kat bar doesn't work either.

She said 'Aresha nak buang baju, nak gunting'

' Tak nak sekolah!'

All because of she didn't get enough sleep.

I took her hand, we're 5 minutes late.

As soon as we reached the school gate she pulled my hand, so I carry her.

Cikgu Anita smiled as she saw us, it must be pretty normal scenario for her.

10 minutes in front of classroom door. After a while she gave in but the teacher has to carry her pulak this time :P

Oh well...

So much for 2009

Aresha now goes to kindy and sleeps in her own room.
She turned into a big girl in just one day.
She found her strength to go through ear piercing (after 2 attempts prior to this where she ran away as she saw the gun)
And now, she plays with my FB status and uploaded pics from my iPod without me noticing! Arghh!

After 3 days going to kindy she told me "Why didn't the teacher teach me ABC mommy?"
Wonder why? She wants to learn how to read so that she can email and play FB!
Okay, that's scary, right?
She just turned 4 two months ago and might want to have her own FB profile soon!
I'm so not ready for this!


On another note,Zara smiles a lot and wants to to sit so that she can watch tv and look around. And that's her, fell asleep while watching telly :P
She has such a beautiful smile and loves to talk (babble or whatever you call it)
The last few days she's been asking us to pick her up and sit on our lap, smart girl.
I was fooled twice, when I thought that she cries for milk but no, no she just want me to hold her for a while and gave me a huge smile right after that.
Morning feeds are quite easy, she didn't wake up after her last feed (or she fell asleep when nobody picks her up, perhaps?) and knowing that daddy usually take her outta the cot, she'd rather want us to play with her than mommy's milk! That just happened 2 days ago, and no matter how sleepy we are, we just can't resist her cooing that adorable chubby face :)

Les chats de Chez Reza - starring April & Bambina

Pictures taken by her 'sister' Aresha ;)

Deux les enfants

Reza's @ KL Bike Week

We spent the holidays @ MATIC for KL inaugural Bike Week. bbjnm,,Zara didn't make a fuss at all and she impresses everyone by not crying in discomfort and she could even sleep in the midst of loud music and sunny, hot weather!
It was a successfully well-organized event, albeit some minor glitches in how they conduct the best bike contest.
Here's looking forward for another bike week, next year!

Zara in IMG booth

Of returning home and adjusting life with two kids

Yeah, I'm back home last Saturday, which actually was my 39th day of confinement, but i broke all the pantang that day haha.
We went to celebrate Mak's bday at Chilli's MV.
So I drank glasses of iced cold fruit juices, heaven!
That's what I miss the most.
If mama knew she'd be screaming on top of her lungs, heheh

It wasn't easy, being home with these two, alone.
I didn't even got the chance to clean up!
But managed to cook on Wednesday and Thursday.
Simple stuffs lah, chicken soup and thank God for mama's frozen rendang!

Zara loves to hang on my boobs. she drinks a bit then fell asleep and wakes up 30 minutes later. Aiyoh tiring!

She's still having difficulties to breathe,especially at night (but not to worry, we've checked with the paed, she's ok it's just the mucous stuck in her nose and diaphragm) and that reflux is something that's bothering me now.
After feeding, she keeps milk in her mouth, and vomits it out if she's not lying down in the right position. What a waste of milk!Hehe.

Today she's bottlefed for the first time,she made a funny face when sucking the teat for the first time, but happily finishing the hole bottle. I'm storing milk to get ready to catch Jens Lekman this Tuesday. Yeehaa!

We're off to shop for some baby stuffs, Salam Aidiladha!

meanwhile here's pics of our first roadtrip to Malacca with Zara

Zara has arrived!

She was born on the 22nd October 8.12 am, 3.74 kg
Labour pain started at 4.30am and when we arrived at the hospital 2 hours later, i'm already 8cm dilated!

All is well in Reza's hood, waiting for the confinement to end next Saturday, yeay!

Zara is gaining weight rapidly and a no fuss baby :)

Bring it on, contractions!

I bet if anyone could, they would skip contractions and go straight for labour.
Contractions could last for hours or maybe days, strangely this time around I want it so badly so that I can be done and over with it, lol!

No sign of real contractions so far, only Braxton-Hicks which I have been through for the last 2 months. It's hard to walk around with this huge belly, not to mention getting up from sitting position and lying down. I'm dreading my 3am bathroom routine, strangely enough I have to get up twice in the middle of the nite!

Hopefully this time it won't be overdue like Aresha (11 days! Must be some miscalculation, somewhere) Can't wait to see the little one. I've been reading over and over again on labour signs and wondering when is the bloody show?

I think it's been two nights in a row that I dreamt of having contractions when in reality there was none :(

I guess it's better for me to keep myself busy again, though frankly, I'm not in the mood of cooking anything fancy. Got a tub of cream cheese in the fridge, whip up some brownies perhaps?

Eid 2008

A meaningful raya indeed for me other than being heavily pregnant like previous four years, Aresha now understands wht's duit raya is all about,LOL! Coming from family who has now moved to the city, I just love celebrating at dear's kampung tho it's only 45 minutes drive away. The tradition of feasting with raya delicacies like ketupat, ala-ala,rendang kerang etc on the eve of raya is what everyone's looking fwd to. This year we even kacau dodol!

It's so much fun seeing Aresha running around the compound, freely and frankly we don't even have to keep an eye on her, she refuse to stay with us and kept herself busy going up and down the stairs playing with her little makciks and pakciks!
I guess living in the city has forbidden her to roam freely and this is the only time she could enjoy the real meaning of freedom!

My MIL has kindly sewn 2 cotton baju kurungs which she loves and so looking forward to wear for raya. And she even thought the baby would come on hari raya itself, haha! Not that early, darling!

I just love being surrounded by Faizal's family, they're so warm and fun to be with. My family is quite small and to spend raya with a huuuuuge family is just perfect!

we spent the first raya, well for the first time, the boys woke up late and barely made it in time for Eid prayers. Then the teary bermaafan session and of course visiting sessions to aunties and uncles houses. Stuffed ourselves silly with food, oh glorious food, kuih raya and gallons of carbonated drinks!

2nd day. mak's siblings came with their children and grandchildren and we all cook nasi ayam plus Makcik Shimi brought her famous laksa penang, yummm! Another food fest!
Some miscommunication lead us to only start beraya around 6pm and we managed to make it till Banting and arrived in Jeram midnight!

As for the 3rd day, went to Kalumpang to our favorite cousins home only to be greeted with Mak Utih's yummy cooking :)
I bet I must have gained kilos but who cares right? Despite hardly able to move around and swollen feet, I managed to celebrate this raya in style, lol!

Then off to Shah Alam where the family and my Cik Nab are waiting(not to forget mama's famous nasi beriyani) ooh la, la!
Though we only catch up fpr few hours this year we promised to visit her in Tapah and couldn't wait for next year to gather again.

Raya in kampung and town is like a world's apart. You can see every houses in kampung are filled with families and cars coming in and out, it feels so meriah, to see all those pelita lighting up, and they never failed to serve us with food, tonnes of it unlike open houses in the city where sometimes, food is not even enough!
It's ironic that kampung people are more generous than city dwellers eh?

I witness a scene of papa calling his friends asking whether they're home to visit but it's sad to hear that most aren't and we now have to make appointment to come for raya? Kids don't come to collect their duit raya in stranger's houses anymore and if there's no open house, nobody would come to your house, a normal scenario these days.

Enough of my ramblings, I'm ready to give birth anytime as I had fulfilled al my raya cravings! I'm just too heavy to walk around now, literally dragging my swollen feet ;)

In the meantime, enjoy our raya pics!

Revolusi '48

After the award winning,some-called it controversial Sepuluh Tahun Sebelum Merdeka here comes the sequel, Revolusi '48.

Will be screening at Annexe, Central Market on the 20th October 2008.

false alarm

Last night, well, right after I'm done with preparing buka puasa dish, I had a really bad backache, not the usual ones this time it stretches all the way to my lower back. It's unbearable and baby is moving oh so actively, it feels like she's doing a somersault in there. Baby, you're not helping :P

We were thinking, is this a contraction? Oh dear, so totally not prepared for early labor.
I want to feast on those yummylicious raya delicacies, at least the first 3 days.
My hospital bag is not ready yet, baby clothes are not washed, my confinement bag pun tak ready.

I had trouble sleeping too! Went to bed at 12.30am endless shifting sides and when dear came in @ 2.30 am, I'm still wide awake!
The movements are just so strong that whatever position I tried, failed miserably. I guess there isn't much space left, so even the slightest movement felt like a poke from the inside.

This could be just Braxton-Hicks contractions and now I'm kinda used to stomach tightening routine. 5 more weeks to go, please stay in mommy's tummy till it's time ok?

Let's see how it goes tomorrow, could be my last check up with Dr B before transferring to a govt. hospital.

I don't know why I feel like going to mamak and had some drinks tonight. Waiting for my dear to finish installing his carburetor for the 5th time, hmpphh!

cloth vs disposable diapers

being an aspiring environmentalist (well, try to recycle as much at least) I'm drawn to articles written in Parents magazine where they have discussion over cloth diapers.

These are unlike the cloth diapers our parents used to put on us, complete with safety pin and plastic covers.
Cloth diapers are so cute and you'll help saving the environment as well :)

14 reasons why you should be using (or at least considering using) cloth diapers

1-Keeps Baby Dry
Baby is comfortable and less cranky due to diaper discomfort. Happy baby equals happy mommy and daddy.

2-Incredible Diaper Savings
You can save thousands of dollars over the course of three years - more if you use the same for a second child. Plus, you won't be spending money on expensive diaper rash creams, diaper pail liners or wasting gas running to the store each week to buy diapers. The savings really add up!

3-Eliminates / Treats Diaper Rash
No more costly trips to the pediatrician and no more goopy, sticky ointments and butt pastes. Yuck.

4-Healthy for our Environment
Millions and millions of diapers end up in our landfills each year. You can do your part by making this world a better place for your baby by ditching disposables and opting for cloth diapers. It is 100% reusable. No waste and no constantly buying expensive diaper refills like some of the hybrid cloth/disposable options.

4-Adjustable Sizes
Cloth diapers grow with your baby due to its unique multiple snap placements. You can adjust each to snugly fit your baby's waist and legs.

5-No Messy or Wet Leaks
enable you to customize the absorbency, so you don't have to worry about leaky diapers. The free microterry insert provided with each is super absorbent; and if your baby is a heavy wetter, simply stuff two inserts or another absorbent material inside the pocket. Also, designed with reinforced leg casings to ensure no messes escape.

6-Stays Beautiful Wash after Wash
stay beautiful wash after wash. No pilling or fraying nor staining.

7-Leg Casings!
What are Leg Casings? That's our slang for encased leg elastic which exist not for aesthetic measures but to double as mock "leg dams" to serve as assurance that everything will stay where it is supposed to be. No leaks. No mess. No fleece to "poke" back in the diaper.

8-Durable Diapers
made with high tech fabrics that are easy to wash and care for. They are durable enough to last wash after wash and last through multiple children, saving you money and offering you peace of mind.

9-Super Trim Fit
Traditional cloth diapers can be bulky. Plus, the adjustable snaps allow the baby to fit snuggly around BOTH your baby's waist and legs. No mores sagging pants!

10-Easy to Use
Simply stuff 'em and they are ready to go! A favorite of daycares, grandmas and even dads! FuzziBunz™ were invented by a mom who didn't have time to mess with hard-to-use diapers and who wanted something that was easy to use, easy to wash and easy on the eyes.

11-High Sanitation Standards
developed so that there would be no need for swirling, dunking, spraying or soaking diapers. The two part pocket system ensures your diapers get super clean. Plus, you will spend less time washing, bleaching, sunning or doing all of that "old fashioned" stuff grandma used to do to her diapers. And best of all, it always look clean wash after wash.

12-Quick Drying
The two part pocket system not only is a breeze to clean but also dries in a flash, lowering your energy bill.

13-Maximum Comfort for Baby
You will have satisfaction that your baby is totally comfortable . Only super soft polar fleece touches your baby's skin. There are no pins to poke, no Velcro to scratch or stick and no crunchy plastic pants to rub against your baby's delicate skin. Because your baby is in diapers every day for three years, you want to make sure those three years are spent in comfort.


14-Stylish
Your baby will be the most stylish baby on the block. come in more than 20 colors and designs. From bubblegum pink to lime green.

Ramadhan 1429

I always love this time of the year, and Ramadhan knocked on our door, just like four years ago, we're expecting a child after Aidilfitri.

Aresha was born 11 days overdue on the 5th of Syawal and this baby EDD is 16 days after Syawal. If she decides to come out early, maybe 7th October is the best as daddy were born tht day :)
Whatever you choose darling, Mommy hopes that there will no complication and the labor will be as smooth as your sister's.

Mommy and daddy haven't decided on where to deliver the little sister. We're crossing out private practices as government hospitals aren't that bad at all (and cheap too!) From the previous scan, baby is in the right position and our gynae told us that nothing to worry and I'll be able to give birth naturally :) Yeay! So it's either Ampang Hospital (which we haven't tried yet and still reading reviews about it) or Putrajaya again (which we love , the midwives are so efficient!)

This Ramadhan feels so serene and peaceful and I'm trying my best to respect the holy month. So gone are the sleeveless dresses and I vowed not to miss any prayers. Sadly I can't be going to terawikh this time time around as my feet is already swollen and it hurts even to just walk around the house doing the chores :( We settled for doing it at home once in a while.
It's been 4 days of home cooked food, starting with iftar with my family @ mom's new home,
Curry mee, pastry puffs & popiah basah, yumm!

The next day I cooked Hainan Chicken rice (which is an absolute fav of my dearest) and seri muka from the neighbour :)
Followed by nasi lemak & burger Malaysia - managed to get Aresha to help out exchange juadah with my two neighbours

And today, we decided not to have rice anymore, mee hailam & cucur udang & delish curry puffs from Makcik Noor- i tell you it's the best, better than IKEA's

Ah, talk about rezeki Ramadhan, proud to say that we didn't buy any food from bazaar Ramadhan, yet!

wish everyday would be this good, we didn't indulge so much on food , eating moderately and more focused on ibadat rather that hanging out.

That also reminds me when puasa ends, we'll be anxiously anticipating the 2nd baby. I already dreamt of giving birth and felt quite nervous though I can say been there, done that this time around, but labor is not a walk in the park, the contractions that I endure alone last time still vividly playing on continuos mode in my head. Tho it took only 15 minutes to push Aresha out, the pain is unbearable and Faizal told me I look like a mad woman while doing it, lol!

Thanks to friends who already wish me well and praying that this will go easily on me :) Really appreciate it.

I'm baking brownies for dear's potluck tomorrow, hopefully it will turn out fab!

Toodles!

on being 28

Despite having a really bad fever 3 days before turning 28, I had a wonderful anniversaire!
Age is just a number and it seems like it's only yesterday that I was a naive 17 year old girl and look where I am now, almost a mother of two!

I used to think birthday prezzies are a must have, (read something I anticipate to get on my bday) but not anymore. I received birthday wishes from all over (thanks to CS) , it makes me feel loved :) work wonders to get me back on my feet after 3 dreadful day & night of bedrest.

My dearest Faizal took 2 days leave to care for me, sleepless nights of constantly sponging me, doing all the houseworks. Thank you darling, you don't know how much that means to me :)

And yesterday we went out to get my birthday prezzie, which is still a secret ;) hopefully will get it before raya *fingers crossed*
Already bought 3 dresses for a bargain, so I'm content for now, yeay!

Today, we're going to have iftar with my family, including the new SIL but minus my youngest sis :(
Going to bring my signature pastry puff which reminds me, I have to make the filling now, till then Salam Ramadhan al-Mubarak!

spring cleaning in summertime

I have three months before my EDD to make sure the house is spotless.
Been procrastinating for quite sometime (oh well, blame it on the pregnancy)
We have to make room for the kids.
That means the double decker bed from the landlord has to be disassembled and stashed in the store room.

We thought of moving out to a new place once our contract ended but last night after having a discussion, we decided to stay for another year and save for our 2nd house's downpayment(For those who wonder why 2nd, please don't make me explain, buat sakit hati je :P)

Goal for 2009, to be financially independent, that is to clear all the credit card debts and save for our next holiday and the house.

Okay, back to spring cleaning.

Things to be done:

1- Kids' bedroom
Not much to buy just new bedsheets, mattress (note: must be girly and pink),curtain and some shelves for toys and books

2-Kitchen
Buy new rack for the stoves, major cleaning up - that is dear's task, hehe

3- Rearrange and tidy up the storage room
to make room for the double decker bedframe, and other stuffs that we rarely use.

4- maintain the cleanliness of the house especially the living room
that means Aresha's toys has to be in her room not laying around anymore

The list is not that long but we only have few months to make sure everything's ready . I often get backaches now so I wouldn't be much help in the future.
Started with things I could do own my own while dear's at work.

I'm surprised that suddenly I got this energy to do everything, though I'm quite worried that I push myself too hard.

Managed to clean up the guest room (which will converted to the kids' room soon), and we agreed on spending 30 minutes everyday to clean the storage room, so it is 25% done now :)

We're quite pleased with the progress and hope to meet the deadline (before Ramadhan)
By that time I might not be able to do much anymore.

Now, I gotta go and finish vacuuming the living room, 2 cats + one toddler = countless time of vacuuming everyday!

Courtesy

It's sad that we're becoming a nation of selfish and discourteous.
Why such a statement?

I've experienced it myself last night.
Aresha and I took LRT from Masjid Jamek (as our bus stopped @Puduraya)
It was 10.30pm.
LRT was packed like a sardine can, I was standing near a pole and kept on reminding Aresha to hold on to one.

Then at KLCC station more people got in and we front of the seats that clearly stated for pregnant women, women with child, elderly etc. I kept glancing on the sign and looking at the faces of people who sat there, nobody offered me a seat. Okay, expected.

Last time I got a seat, was when Carolina (a Cser from Argentina) asked a girl to get up for this pregnant lady. It works and the girl smiled sheepishly(more like stupidly for being so ignorant)

To be honest, I don't really need a seat but after a while, Aresha made a fuss and whine saying that she's tired. A 3 1/2 year old toddler couldn't endure 20 minutes train ride, anybody could see that, but hey! Everybody just pretend they didn't hear her or see her crying! Maybe they thought 'why the hell is the pregnant lady and her daughter took this train? I'm not giving up my seat!' There's this lady who kept glancing at me, but her ass is too heavy kot?

Seriously, I vow to teach Aresha common courtesy. I'm not saying that their parents didn't taught them well, but sometimes we forgot the importance of being polite and courteous.

Maybe I don't look pregnant? I'm just a fat lady with a huge tummy.
I don't deserve a seat.
or
Maybe I should just stay home since I'm pregnant.

And we still call ourselves rakyat Malaysia 'berbudi bahasa and bersopan santun'?
Wow!

Monthly getaway

I didn't realize I was travelling to neigbouring countries every month since April.
First it was Phuket, then short weekend visit to S'pore in May(which coincides with Great S'pore Sale but everything is too expensive even after discount!) Last 2 weeks we were in Bandung for 4 days (sans Aresha,and I don't feel that guilty anymore, though I kept thinking about her all the time!) and tomorrow we're off to Hatyai!

Looks like I'm pushing myself to the limit eh? Backaches doesn't stop me from long-haul bus ride. Heck, I used to ride on Faizal's Springer till 9 months when I was preggy with Aresha! But I do get tired easily compared to the last one. However when we were in Bandung last time, I didn't feel exhausted at all from walking and shopping (typical , woman!) until we get home and couldn't get up the whole day!

Strangely enough we only bought a shirt for the baby. Aresha on the other hand got herself a whole lotta dresses, skirts, even a hat! I went gaga over toddler clothes but err infant clothes didn't attract my attention. Don't ask me why, I just don't fell like buying.
Maybe because there are hands-me-down from Aresha, it will be a totally different scenario if this is our first.

I love Bandung people, well generally Indonesian. Made friends with Csers from Bandung and Jakarta. They were so nice to send me back to the hotel :)
Not to forget the staffs at Rip Curl's clearance sale @ Chiwalk. They were so excited to know that I came from KL, the best customer service I've ever had in my entire life!

What I love the most of Bandung (which explains why Jakarta people always flock Bandung during weekends) is the cheap food, strawberry juice!, romantic cafes and restaurants at the hilltop.

Will definitely coming back for more next year. My Bandung friends had already offered to take me around exploring Bandung (other than FO's of course!)

Cravings

Strangely, I have cravings for traditional kuihs. It was kuih bakar kemboja the last few weeks which I only managed to indulge at mama's place (not homemade but her friend brought, sedap gile!)
Yesterday I wanted cekodok pisang
Okay laugh all you want, at least it's not those unthinkable food.

I've satisfied my cravings over cekodok this morning.
Funny thing about this mengidam is that after few bites you'll realize tht is is not tasty or more like had enough of it :P

Don't know what else I want to eat next, but a nice bowl of cendol would be great ;)

girls day out!

Went out with Nad for banana leaf lunch, of course the cheeky little Aresha came along.

We passed through a toy fare at Bangsar Village and she made a scene refusing to follow us to the restaurant.
Refuse to sit
Refuse to eat

Okay whatever, we're both hungry and after a while she came to me and eat rice at the corner of my banana leaf ;)

Oh yeah she spilled a half-full cup of milo. And no, we didn't get it refilled, bahhh!

It was fun anyway spending time chit-chatting at Starbucks, Aresha is just so 'perasan'.
Look at how she pose :P