no ordinary m.o.m.s.t.e.r

Am No Longer Here

2008-05-01T12:12:00.002+08:00

I have moved to >>> http://noordinarymomster.wordpress.com/

See you there!!

Should I?

2008-04-30T11:05:00.003+08:00

I am considering to switch to Wordpress now. I think the password protected feature for the entries are cool.

There are times when you need to express yourself, and not wanting the whole world to read about it. It's a safe bet on the world wide web don't you think?

The clean layout is a plus too!

So, I just might... :)

The Tantrums

2008-04-28T12:54:00.006+08:00

By the time I get to office nowadays, I've already used up more than half of my energy reserved for the rest of the day.

Imtiyaz would throw ridiculous tantrums to take his bath. This morning he practically lies on the toilet floor and I bathe him there and then. Crazy I tell ya.

Then he'll cool down for a while. Before it starts again when I tell him to switch off the tv to go to school.

Madness.

And again, at the drop-off area at school. Luckily by then I can let the teachers handle him.

I know it's just a phase. They don't call them the Terrible Twos for nothing rite? But it really is driving me up the walls.

Now I really need hubs to come home - A.S.A.P!!

BURJER

2008-04-25T12:29:00.003+08:00

Last night as Imtiyaz was watching his ultimate movie for now - Over the Hedge, he called to me :

"Mama, see! Eat burjer."
(Burjer = burger. I guess one of the characters was eating burger or what-not. Excuse me for being so ignorant at that time, I was busy feeding him. :P)

So I asked him back, "Do you like burger?"

To which he replied, "No! Like fries. Babah like burjer."

...which is SO SO TRUE! Hubs would order any special burger on the menu even if we're at a steakhouse, which one would logically, under normal circumstances, order a juicy steak la kan?!

Now, this little one has definitely been VERY observant.

School Work

2008-04-20T18:44:00.003+08:00

Some of Imtiyaz's art work from school.
To Raz : Good luck in finding a playschool for Arianna! :)

Not So Pink

2008-04-17T10:53:00.004+08:00

It's almost the end of the week and I'm totally exhausted! The last weekend has been full of parties and a wedding and some unexpected dramas in between. I was basically everywhere on both Saturday and Sunday, and it's definitely not easy lugging around a toddler all alone.

The l'il one has not been in the pink of health since last Saturday. Started off with some vomiting, which I suspect is due to the excessive colouring in the birthday cakes he had. He has always been very sensitive to colouring and preservatives, thus the same advice I get from his pediatrician at every visit. No kicap (which he absolutely loves btw! He basically eats rice with kicap with nothing else!) , no vitagen, no ribena, no nuggets, no nothing. Basically, nothing off the shelves, which is impossible don't you think? The vitagen, ribena, nuggets etc I can easily avoid because Imtiyaz doesn't really eat/drink them, but the kicap? Luckily my sister found out an alternative for kicap at a local organic shop which I have yet to receive. (Ehem! Where are you?).

The vomiting turned to a bit of diarrhea, and once all those settled his temperature is almost 40 degrees every night! Sleepless nights for me, checking his temperature every few minutes, sponging his body, which really isn't easy because he hates it. So today, I had to take an emergency leave off work because :

1. I had to return the visit to his pediatrician.
2. I was too tired to go to work anyway.

My predict : Imtiyaz - Babah = Fever (so let's not blame the kicap everytime eh?)

p/s : Predict based on Imtiyaz having high temperature everytime his Babah is away for more than 3 days.

Nightmare

2008-04-10T17:44:00.002+08:00

Last night at about 3am, Imtiyaz suddenly cried out loud together with some wailings, calling up "aaa mummyyy, aaa mummyyy" (these days he sometimes call me mummy due to the influence at school). The "aaa" in front is just a habit of his when sulking. Let's not get me started on the "aaa" he adds at the end of his sentences now due to bigger influence at school. :P

Anyway, it wasn't easy consoling him. Holding him tight would make him wiggle and scream louder. So I left him alone but stayed close until the wailing subsides. And then hubs personal phone rang. I had it with me because he only brought his office phone with him when going offshore. Not that he can use it anyway. I was skeptical at first because the screen showed Anonymous. Picked it up and someone said "Encik T....?" I went "yes?" The guy said "Puan, is everything okay? I heard screamings from outside." Blur at first, I replied "Ouhh yes, it's just my son." He said sorry, and I said thank you.

It was the neighbourhood guard! Very alert, don't you think? :)

I think Imtiyaz was just too tired with school, and his weekly swimming activity in the evening. But I didn't expect the wailing to be so loud to even alert the guards!

Superheroes

2008-04-07T09:08:00.005+08:00

At a little over 2 year old, Imtiyaz has developed this passion for superheroes. Started off with Spiderman, it has developed to Superman, Transformers, Batman, Ninja Turtles & the latest where I am really not sure where he learnt of it - Ultraman.

Knowing his passion for Spiderman, as his first favourite superhero, he got various Spiderman figurines and merchandise for his 2nd birthday. And a Superman the same size as him! From then, there was no stopping him I guess. Even for his underwear (yes, he's already out of diapers most of the time) he requested for Spiderman, but I only managed to find Superman & Batman for now.

Am actually a little worried because now, at home, he does nothing except for watching his favourite dvds, switching from Spiderman 3 to Transformers to TMNT to Alvin & The Chipmunks (this is not a superhero luckily!) And just 2 days ago, I was at Tesco buying groceries, when he spotted an Ultraman dvd at the dvd section. Oh dear. You guessed it! He clings on to it and wouldn't even let the salesgirl write out the receipt for it!

The house is rarely messy now as his toys are all tucked into place. He's ignoring his toys, even not wanting to do his favourite jigsaw puzzles anymore. Only his favourite Elmo bedtime book saved the day - to get him to bed!

I hope this is just a phase. Have to keep reminding myself it is fine for him to enjoy his dvds as he does so many other activities at school.

Ouh, he is so friendly nowadays too, saying hi and bye to everyone he sees. Even calling "uncle" to the people seated at a neighbouring table when we had our breakfast recently. Hmmm.

The New Job

2008-04-03T17:10:00.002+08:00

The first few days has been the usual getting to know people and how things work in the office. I have received positive views from colleagues, and I am liking a lot of things I hear. ;)

Kids Today

2008-04-03T13:28:00.001+08:00

When his dad told him he has to go out for a meeting recently :

Adam : "Ayah, have you seen me going to school at night?"

Nyeh nyeh. :)

Back to Reality

2008-03-31T10:20:00.007+08:00

My two weeks holiday has finally come to its end. It has been great, with loads of quality time with the boys. The trip to Singapore definitely met its purpose - to expose Imtiyaz to different types of transportation eg. aeroplane, train, bus, tram, cab - we rode all those within the 4 days trip, and Imtiyaz enjoyed every bit of it I'm sure.

Then of course there is the exposure to different types of animals. Singapore Zoo was great and Imtiyaz is still talking about it until today. The zoo t-shirt is especially to die for! Loved the smart wordings on the tees so make sure to check them out when you are there.

An interesting info on baboons I read on the zoo ground.

The Underwater World at Sentosa Island and the dolphin show at the Dolphin Lagoon was good too. I was glad Imtiyaz behaved well throughout the trip, only being a little bit cranky while waiting for our flight home. Must be too tired by then.

So. It's back to work tomorrow. And I really do hope it'll be good this time. I've actually made up my mind to pamper myself at the spa today, only to find out it's closed on Mondays. Damn. Now I really am not sure what to do. Imtiyaz is at school after a week of holiday, and it wasn't easy getting him to go. He's been saying "I don't want" everytime school is mentioned since yesterday. So go figure.

Looking forward to great days ahead, and I hope you are too!! :)

Mermaid on Rock

2008-02-26T15:42:00.003+08:00

Last weekend I was reading a story book for Adam, my 4-year-old nephew. One of the characters was a merman, and there was a picture of a merman swimming in the sea.

So I asked Adam,

"Do you know what's a merman?"

"No".

"A merman is just like a mermaid. But it's half man. You do know mermaids right?"

"Yes". *pause* "... but mermaids sit on rocks!"

"The mermaids sitting on rocks are sunbathing. This merman is just having a swim."

Lame reply I know. The fastest I could think of in mere seconds. Lucky he didn't ask where does a mermaid/merman sleeps, because I really have no idea!

Mrs. Beckham

2008-02-25T13:48:00.007+08:00

There was a book sale at the concourse of a shopping mall last weekend, and I was on the lookout for some light readings. Not much choice though, so alas I bought this...

at more than half of its original price!! (I wouldn't buy it if it's sold at full price anyway). The metallic hardback is definitely what attracted me to it in the first place.

Have only gone through a few pages. It's more like a shopping guide, like where to shop for jeans if your body type falls into a certain category. It does include some high street brands by the way, but of course, to mix and match with pricey designer labels. Some fashion advice too, where most of it you'd already know, or you'll be able to get the same advice in almost all fashion mags, in every monthly issue without fail.

Nothing to shout about, really.

I got excited when Word Search puzzle books were sold at less than MYR3.00 each. So naturally, I bought all 4 issues. Such a geek aren't I? ;)

I.Am.Bored

2008-02-22T16:32:00.004+08:00

Am back at the office, after 4 days of 'fun-filled' activities with customer. Tiring, I must say. And next week I have another 3 days of training to attend. Oh well, let's just get all the input I can for now.

Planning to submit THE letter next Thursday - starting new job 1st April. Yes, I accepted. Simply followed my heart. I wanted to laugh out loud when Ainil said, "Let's hope it's not April Fool!". To which she continued, "Not funny, I know."

I was at the office then, where smiling to the notebook is already a sin.

But yes, after the letter is submitted next week, I really do hope it's not an April Fool!

Have a nice weekend peeps!!

The L'il Boy Update

2008-02-14T09:29:00.003+08:00

For the last 2+ months Imtiyaz has been going to school, not once has he failed to cry during drop-off. He'll get ready for school willingly, get into the car and cry the minute he sees the teachers waiting for his arrival, at the drop-off area. My conclusion was he loved school, but he wanted one of us to be with him in school.

But today, mom called, and said he walked in confidently eventhough his mouth kept muttering "oh no, oh no" the whole time. And not a shed of tears!! Yippeeee!! I'm soooo happy. The "oh no" must be a way of telling himself not to cry this time. Confidence booster of some sort maybe. I just hope the days onwards would be tear-free from now on.

Speech-wise, he's now able to make short sentences, eventhough some pronunciation are still hard to figure out. Last 2 days he shoved a balloon to hubs and said "blow for me". And I do think that's a big achievement. I noticed he questions "do you like it?" and "is it nice?" and "what is this?" a lot these days too.

On the toilet-training progress, upon returning from school (usually diaper-free), I'll make sure to bring him into the toilet, and so far he's able to pee with some words of encouragement. I haven't actually forced myself to continue with the training myself at home, but yesterday, seeing he's actually ready for it, we decided to convert to pull-ups instead of the normal diaper. I am not keen on letting him go absolutely 'free' for now, as I'm pretty sure I won't be patient enough with all the 'spills' and 'accidents' in tow. ;)

The Chiro Visit

2008-02-06T13:04:00.000+08:00

I like the new lady chiropractor. Very gentle and soft-spoken, and inspected me thoroughly. Explanation was simple and easy to understand. I am hopeful and looking forward to the upcoming visits.

The coccyx and some related bones around the area are a little bit misaligned apparently, causing me the pain when sitting down.

And there's no lengthy waits involved too. I like! :)

Jobs... and more jobs...

2008-02-05T11:43:00.000+08:00

I received a lot of questions, even SMSes from friends who read my blog, due to my earlier entry (read http://2uisplurt.blogspot.com/2008/01/ve.html).

No guys, I am not moving to Norway. (Sorry Wegz, kena tipu with hubs!! :P) Yes, I received a job offer from one of the largest IT service providers in Europe recently. Pure luck I guess. Just as I thought to myself I needed to get out of here FAST!! But I'll be based here luckily, IF I accept the offer. Still waiting for the black and whites now so I haven't made my decision yet.

Some might wonder why I change job ever so frequently. Some might think it'll appear bad on my cv. To tell you the truth, I even thought I'd stick to this place, for as long as I still want to do office work. But hell no. This place is just not for me. I can't stand office politics, and the discrimination is too obvious. I don't kiss asses unfortunately, and here, you are not judged on how well you perform, but on how well you kiss!!

Let's not mention work-related issues which are not clearly defined, and the wrong roles going to the wrong person, making things much much complicated. I guess my previous employer was right when he advised me not to join this company. I've had my lesson dear ex-boss, but for now I don't think I'm going back to yours.

When I thought I'd be here the longest, it might just turn out to be the shortest.

As for my OTHER previous companies, well, I had good reasons and I needed the change. And I stayed long enough to contribute and learn at the same time. I left all on good terms of course. Just in case I needed to work with them again in the future. :P

Anyway, I'll resume my chiropractic treatment tomorrow, after some time. This time with a different chiropractor. Each chiroprator have different ways of doing things, and I've got nothing to lose. Let's just hope I'll have a much better back soon.

Pending Photos...

2008-01-29T12:51:00.000+08:00

Just a bit of each occasion, since I don't have much to write about these days... ;)

...:: at Arina's 3rd birthday party ::...

...:: Bro's engagement do ::...

...:: Cousin Qistina's small birthday do ::...

...:: Imtiyaz's new cousin - Aina Sufiyya ::...

+VE

2008-01-25T11:24:00.000+08:00

No home pregnancy test kit involved here.

I just received the call I sort of waited for. It's a 'sort-of' because there's not much hope put into it, but at the back of my mind I somehow wanted, and needed it.

And the call sounded more positive than not. Some negotiating needs to be done for now. Soon - the dreaded decision-making.

Imtiyaz and the Uniform Part II

2008-01-15T21:56:00.000+08:00

The only reason I managed to capture him in his school uniform is because he was wearing it when I picked him up from school last few weeks. Due to a few 'accidents' since he is now being toilet-trained, they had to make do with whatever's still available in his bag. And yes, he still refuses to wear them from home, whatever the reason.

He's doing great and everyone's happy about it. Except for the uniform part, and the sending-off-wailing phase of course. I guess Jayne is right. It just won't go away so easily.

Foreign Workers

2008-01-09T12:53:00.000+08:00

When the government says foreign workers would be reduced, I am still in doubt. Coming into the office this morning, the whole area is filled with them foreigners. And the number keeps on increasing by day.

I wouldn't mind so much if they are as good as they claim to be. Some definitely helped. While others are not worth being here. Any fresh graduate with no amount of experience would be so much better.

Now, being in a company very closely linked to the government, I really do think they are the ones who should actually do what they preach, no? I'll just wait and see.

Imtiyaz and the uniform

2008-01-04T09:35:00.000+08:00

Since yesterday was the start to a new school term, Imtiyaz is required to wear school uniform for the 1st half of the day. But, starting from the day I got the uniform, which was last week, until today, he refused to even try it on. He'd run away each time saying 'nanak' (taknak) and shook his head. His Siti once managed to put the shorts on while he was busy watching tv, but the minute he realized he had it on, he tugged it down and screamed to wear something else.

So what I did was put the uniform in his bag and let the teacher handle him. And guess what? He actually puts it on at school (for half day only before his afternoon shower, so I didn't get to see how he looked in it), even came back nodding his head with an eager smile everytime I tell him he'd have to wear it again today. I was hoping by telling him again and again, it would actually sink into him and he'd know he has to wear it.

But what happened this morning?? Yes, again, he refused! Oh dear... this boy definitely has an agenda of his own!!

The Year 2008

2008-01-03T13:44:00.000+08:00

the 'comot' boy learning how to pose

Year 2007 has been a good year for me. But of course with some hiccups here and there. One can never ensure things would be perfect, but one can surely be positive, and that, I reckon, would eventually make everything seems almost perfect.

I've acquired a lot along the way. Lost some too. But I couldn't ask for more.

The experiences have been valuable. The love has never been better. The friendship have definitely blossomed. The time has luckily been enough. The special ones are well taken care of. The money, though not aplenty, has been generous.

Have a good year everyone!!

Age-o-Meter Alert!!

2007-12-28T17:13:00.000+08:00

These people are a year older today, no doubt!! :D

Wegz is errr... 29 or 30? Nyeh nyeh...!! No more "kakak" now, only "makcik" ok... hehehe...

Angah my sister in law is 27!! The best birthday present would have to be the little bundle of joy coming your way this Jan!!

... and little pop star Arina is 3!! Another Tigger for you darling??

Wishing all of you a VERY Happy Birthday and wonderful years ahead!!

.... I'm off to renew my new year's resolution now...!! Happy New Year and have a nice weekend!!

Holiday Season

2007-12-19T09:57:00.000+08:00

I am looking forward to a 6 day rest just to be at home. Tomorrow's Aidiladha will only be me, hubs n imtiyaz at the kd home, since I was already up north last 2 weekends for a friend's wedding. Travelling during holiday season just tires me out.

And it will be our fourth anniversary next week on Christmas day! Haven't planned anything special, but I guess just being at home - all 3 of us, is even more special, in its own way. Especially when you only get to see each other a few hours a day on normal days!!

So.

Selamat Hari Raya Aidiladha to all my muslim friends, and a Merry Christmas to my christian friends.

I think I'll drop by The Curve for the Magical Lightshow & Winter Wonderland snow falls. It has been almost 3 years since I last experience snow, you know! ;)

Tagged

2007-12-18T11:22:00.000+08:00

...by Ms Istanbul, so here goes...

1. Name one person who made you laugh last night.
Imtiyaz

2. What were you doing at 0800?
Consoling Imtiyaz it's time for me to make a move to work while he clings on to my legs.

3. What were you doing 30 minutes ago?
Finishing up some reports.

4. What happened to you in 2006?
Fell & sprained my ankle right in front of my boss, on my first day of work. (Jan 2006 that is ;))

5. What was the last thing you said out loud?
Can't remember. But I did say something to my colleagues a few minutes ago.

6. How many beverages did you have today?
Coffee and water.

7. What color is your hairbrush?
Wooden colour

8. What was the last thing you paid for?
Some groceries last night.

9. Where were you last night?
Home, being a domestic goddess ;)

10. What color is your front door?
Brown

11. Where do you keep your change?
Purse

12. What’s the weather like today?
Gloomy

13. What’s the best ice-cream flavor?
Chocolate + Mint

14. What excites you?
Time off from work :D

15. Do you want to cut your hair?
I just did.

16. Are you over the age of 25?
Yes.

17. Do you talk a lot?
Depends whom I'm with.

18. Do you watch the O.C.?
Used to.

19. Do you know anyone named Steven?
Ages ago.

20. Do you make up your own words?
Sometimes.

21. Are you a jealous person?
Sometimes.

22. Name a friend whose name starts with the letter ‘A’.
Ainil.

23. Name a friend whose name starts with the letter ‘K’.
I can't think of any at the mo.

24. Who’s the first person on your received call list?
Hubs.

25. What does the last text message you received say?
Citibank Airasia early notice.

26. Do you chew on your straw?
No.

27. Do you have curly hair?
Not at all.

28. Where’s the next place you’re going to?
Lunch with colleagues.

29. Who’s the rudest person in your life?
Hmmm... no idea.

30. What was the last thing you ate?
Tiger biscuits.

31. Will you get married in the future?
I already am.

32. What’s the best movie you’ve seen in the past 2 weeks?
None.

33. Is there anyone you like right now?
If like as in romance-like, and other than hubs, it's a no. ;)

34. When was the last time you did the dishes?
This morning.

35. Are you currently depressed?
Not at all.

36. Did you cry today?
No.

37. Why did you answer and post this?
Ms Istanbul tagged me.

38. Tag 5 people who would do this survey.
jayne (she'll love me for this)
wegra
mummy-o
miss-cream
ainil

....

2007-12-14T16:03:00.000+08:00

and yet again, I sprained my left foot. Just as I did early last year, but not as bad this time, luckily. And no, I didn't fall flat in front of my boss again.

Got it bandaged and still in my 4" heels. Somehow putting on slippers or going barefoot is giving me more pain when walking.

Oh dear. What a way to start off the weekend.

The Week

2007-12-14T09:32:00.000+08:00

It has been an emotional week this week. Letting go Imtiyaz for the first time to school is definitely one of the reasons. Today he woke up early wanting me to drop him off at school instead of his Siti. As much as I was hoping he'd walk in willingly with a smile plastered to his face and wave back at me, fact was he cried out loud again.

Yesterday evening when I picked him up, he was happily watching tv at the waiting area with the other kids. And he spared some time telling me what was on tv, in his own language of course. No rush to go home.

Today's the 5th day and I really hope the 'sending-off-wailing-phase' would end soon.

Looking forward to this weekend. Just to be with both hubs and him. And of course, the fun at Bijou Bazaar. And the meet up with some school friends.

It's been a while since I last see you guys no?

Have a nice weekend peeps!!

Stackable Nursery Bed

2007-12-12T14:10:00.001+08:00

I went to check out on Imtiyaz during lunch just now. It was 1pm and he's already taking his nap, on a special day care bed. He looks comfy enough with his pillow & blanket. Obviously the photo above is not him. I didn't want to distract the other kids who are still up and about by snapping a picture of him.

"The bed featured above is a comfortable and hygienic nursery bed. Strong light weight steel frame (18 gauge) and a fire retardant, wipe clean mesh PVC sleeping surface. The thoughtful design incorporates rounded corners on the plastic legs which also includes a special cavity to enable stacking."

And no, I don't get paid for writing this. It's just something I'd like to share. :)

Imtiyaz's first few days (3rd day today) is considered an OK, considering he doesn't cry non-stop the whole day. Separation anxiety is there of course. On the first day I had to console him to go into the classroom. The first half hour was spent exploring the slides and the outdoor toys. Even up till his 3rd day today, Imtiyaz still won't interact much with the other kids. Something which the teacher said is normal for one who has never gone to school before. But at least he doesn't refrain himself from going into the classroom anymore. Yes, I'd have to go inside with him, but at least he goes in.

Since it's the school holidays, the activities for the children are somehow different from the normal school term. They will still have the weekly swimming activity but without a proper swimming instructor. No kindergym acitivities either. Storytelling, arts & crafts, movies, gardening, cookery etc will still be on luckily. At least that's what I saw on the timetable. But with the rainy season now, I'm sure some of it won't be carried out.

Oh well, so far so good. I feel at ease at work eventhough at times I do feel the separation anxiety myself. It's different when people other than your own family is looking after your kid, and on the grounds other than your own home.

Peachy Keen @ Bijou Bazaar

2007-12-11T16:06:00.000+08:00

The Peachy Keen Team will be at Bijou Bazaar both Saturday & Sunday this weekend (15-16 Dec 2007)!!

So for those who prefer to have a touch & feel of the items, do come visit us at Jaya Shopping Centre, Section 14 PJ. Trust me, the items look so much better LIVE!! ;)

Hope to see you there!!

For more info feel free to visit Bijou Bazaar or Peachy Keen.

To school he goes...

2007-12-05T13:24:00.000+08:00

... starting next Monday.

The school is close to mom's, which makes it close to my office as well. This is the best arrangement I could make for the time being. Being used to having close attention from everyone around him, I'm sure he'll take some time to adapt. But with the school facilities & friends around him, I really do hope it will take his mind off the comfort of home.

I am now officially maid-less. It's been good so far. (after 2 days... hehehe...) I have started to reorganize my things, and my, the minute I start cleaning/tidying, it's really hard to stop. Every single thing seems to be imperfect. I guess when you have the comfort of having someone else do things for you, you tend to overlook so many things. At least, that's how I was. I didn't even bother to throw unused lotions or face creams. Clothes in the wardrobe are all mixed up. As long as they are clean and easy to access, I was one satisfied lady. No matter how unhappy I was with the mess in the wardrobe or anything, I would always tell myself the maid would tidy it up soon. Which she never did the way I would, of course.

I even managed to reorganize Imtiyaz's toys. Threw away all the broken & dangerous bits. Wiped them clean.

The only thing that worries me is whether I am able to keep up with the laundry. You know the works. Machine wash, hand wash, fold, hang, iron... to do them constantly and not wait until they're stacked up to the ceiling. Hmmmm...

Btw, Peachy Keen has been updated. Happy Viewing!!

Back Home

2007-12-02T20:55:00.000+08:00

Imtiyaz was diagnosed with HFMD (hand foot mouth disease) last Wednesday, after 2 days of high fever. He wouldn't eat nor drink anything. A single drop of water would make him shreak in pain due to the ulcers formed in his mouth. It was dreadfully heart-breaking to see him in pain and not able to consume anything for 2 whole days!

After a day at the hospital, he managed to gulp down some milk and water, but with the help of some ointment to numb his mouth. He was on drip for 1 night, but had to be taken off coz it made his hand swollen the very next day. Not to mention the docs had trouble finding his vein to put the drip in. Too much flesh you see. ;)

After 4 days and 3 nights, he was allowed to go home. And since yesterday, all he wants to eat is rice with kicap manis, and each time he'd eat 2-3 bowls. Qada' makan la tuh... hehehe...

Thank you for all your prayers and alhamdulillah he has fully recovered. The rashes on his hand and foot are all cleared out now.

Peachy Keen Girls Sneak Preview

2007-11-23T17:16:00.000+08:00

Do check out Peachy Keen's sales blog for a sneak peak of the products we currently have. Happy viewing!!

Jakarta Part II

2007-11-23T08:49:00.000+08:00

The latest trend - boys in pink, blue, yellow, even combination of blue/pink patch trousers. Skinny, but a bit loose on the upper part. Ends just above the ankle.

After going 'crazy' shopping (the others I mean. This time round, most of the time I only enjoyed looking at them going crazy), we had nasi goreng gila to intensify the craziness. I have to say, older 'shopaholics' are seriously shopaholics. We did have 'the best fish & chips in town' too, but it was gone before I can snap a pic. ;)

And last, but not least, the famous indonesion avocado smoothie - Alpokat. Yumms!!

And ouh, this is the closest we can get to Pasto, Dewi Sandra and Luna Maya this time. :P

Weekend is here...

2007-11-16T12:35:00.000+08:00

and I'd have to miss Adam's pre-school's annual event. Hubs & Imtiyaz will be attending though, so I'll make sure to get a full report.

Looking forward to this weekend's trip with a batch of 'older' shopaholics. I hope me & dydd would be in focus ;)

Party Photos

2007-11-15T14:23:00.000+08:00

I have to make do with these photos. There's problem with the internet connection at home, and the site I used to organize my photos are being blocked at the office.

And believe it or not, these are the only photos I have anyway. Wish I had the time to snap more...

Thomas, Gordon or Edward

2007-11-09T10:39:00.001+08:00

I've always thought all the blue trains from Thomas & Friends is Thomas. Until yesterday.

We were at Toys r Us, wanting to get a take-along train for Imtiyaz's Take Along Thomas & Friends Travel Case he got for his birthday. At first I chose different coloured trains because he's already got a few of Thomas, only of bigger sizes.

But he shook his head. So I took a blue train (which I assumed was Thomas) and he objected again and again. I checked the difference, and turned out Thomas was No. 1, and the one I gave him was of No. 2 and No. 4 (which were Edward and Gordon). He kept pointing to a Thomas which came with another take-along set. Told him we'd have to check out other places if they had a single one on sale.

Luckily downstairs, Toys r Us has set up a booth and the little Thomas was there. He didn't object this time and excitedly grabbed it and gave away the bigger Thomas he had with him to me. He even managed to say "Titu Mama" (Thank you Mama).

A single detail never escapes the eyes of a toddler eh?

Caught!!

2007-11-09T08:45:00.000+08:00

Mom saw the maid receiving somethng from the neighbourhood guard. I think that's the reason she now dresses nicely for bed, to wake up and be presentable for the guard in the morning. Yucks!!

Hubs planning to investigate what's going on tomorrow morning (if the same guard is on duty). I suspect the guard's new, because they had no foreigners before. But looking at my maid, she'd fall for anyone. Even the foreign waiter at the steamboat place we went to, eh mummy-o, wegz & dydd? Desperado.

If she received marriage promises, I wish her luck. If she received work & $$$ promises, I wish her luck too.

Whetever it is, she will no longer be on my agenda by mid December.

Yet Another... Maid Issue

2007-11-05T11:02:00.000+08:00

I think I've given up. This one wants to go back after a year of service, not wanting to finish up the 2-year contract. I'm not stopping her, but it will be her loss too. Inconsiderate people should receive inconsiderate treatment back.

The lot are definitely taking advantage of us Malaysians don't you think? With the stories I hear from colleagues and others, what with maids going back for raya and not returning. Maids (some are even illegal) choosing to stay with employers who resides in only certain parts of KL to be close to their friends. Maids who requested to go back only after a few months of service, and requesting full pay. Most of them come here just to have a look and feel is it? A paid holiday perhaps?

With news going around asking for more protection for the maids (for all you know, their stories could all be lies anyway...), what about protection for us employers?

I can't afford to fork out a few thousands each time, for something SO unsure & unpredictable can I?

Oh well, as for now, I have decided to send the l'il one to child care. I have another month to scout around for an appropriate one. Wish me luck!!

p.s. on another note, I am actually looking forward to this. Been depending too much on 'them' eventhough I'm positive, without them, my things and the house would be so much cleaner & tidier. And I'm sure a lot of things would be better taken care of (Imtiyaz's toys for instance).

Pretend not to care...

2007-11-02T09:22:00.001+08:00

Are all toddlers like that, or it's just my boy...

I sometimes say out loud colours of everything, from his wooden blocks to everything around him... and he didn't seem to listen....

Last night, while he was busy fiddling with something, I called him, picked up his imaginarium blocks (which he loved so much he'd leave it strewn across the floor for easy access, and screams when anyone tries to put them back into the box) and asked him whether he knows the colours.

At first, he mentioned everything correctly.

Gweeeen for green

Bwueeee for blue

Weddddd for red

Lellowww for yellow

Oinge for orange

Until he noticed we were impressed that he actually knew. So he started to say the wrong colours for everything!!

And again, are all toddlers like that, or is it just him?

Welcome Aboard!!

2007-11-01T15:58:00.000+08:00

...at last, she had the courage to reveal she had a blog. Wave to Ainil everyone!!

The Haircut

2007-11-01T15:31:00.000+08:00

unhappy with his new hair, or pissed off with mama? That's the best mom could do with him not being still.

mummy-o wrote about it. So did miss-cream. Mom managed to chop off quite a chunk of Imtiyaz's hair yesterday. Distracted him with a water spray, with which he sprayed water right to his own face throughout.

And no, the water spray didn't manage to fully distract him. Kept pulling his head away while screaming "akitttt" (sakit) everytime mom touches his head/hair.

It took quite some time to actually get the decent haircut (...and himself drenched of course!). He looks boyish now and I have to admit I missed his helmet-like hair, but then again, it'll grow back.

Let's hope me or mom would have another few months before having to think of new ways to distract him again. Since his previous haircut was only less than 2 months ago, I may have to start thinking from now!

A Eventful Weekend...

2007-10-29T17:16:00.000+08:00

You know how you always remind yourself you should do one thing, only to leave it to the last minute, (or maybe not done at all) until the thing you wanted to avoid actually happened?

Happened to me last Saturday.

I didn't get extra house keys done, when I've told myself several times I should.

I left both sets of keys inside the house. #%$%#%!!

Locksmith saved the day, after my attempt of using a card failed miserably. (It worked with my hostel door in uni last time you know! :D) Parted with my hard earned RM50 there and then, for only a few minutes service. Maybe I should learn how to do that and become a locksmith myself. It seems easy enough once you got hold of it. And God knows, how many others left their keys inside the house every single day!!

Oh well!

Sunday was good. Getting together with your close friends definitely brightens up any day.

Night Entry

2007-10-23T22:25:00.000+08:00

I'm glad I had the party last weekend because darling hubs would be away for another week or two. If I give in to some requests to have it a week later, I'm pretty sure it'd be in October 2008 instead.

I miss him, as usual. But at least Imtiyaz slept earlier. Wonder if I bore Imtiyaz so much he decided to sleep instead? Hmmm...

He's 2

2007-10-22T10:18:00.000+08:00

Birthday boy was a bit cranky yesterday. He wasn't feeling too well, with runny nose and some itchy scratchy rashes on the face. The only time he actually managed to smile was when everyone sang the birthday song.

To all who came, thank you thank you thank you so much!!

And thank you so much for the lovely gifts. Imtiyaz couldn't get enough of them all.

Wegra... famous!!

2007-10-11T10:22:00.000+08:00

Read http://www.nst.com.my/Current_News/NST/Thursday/Features/20071010165336/Article

Now, I'd like to share why I like Section 14, PJ.

My primary school is just across the road.
A place where me & my friends crossed over for the McD just before netball practise starts.
A place to meet new people *wink*
Just a place to get naughty during those times. (not allowed to go with school uniforms & without parents, but we managed to escape once in a while)
Before joining the bazaar, I still go there to shop (Both Jaya Shopping Centre & the already-closed Metrojaya). You'd be surprised with what you can find there.
Still a good place to catch up with old friends. Mention Jaya Shopping Centre and they'd be there in no time.
It's just sentimental. *shrug*

Selamat Hari Raya Aidilfitri!!

2007-10-10T10:51:00.000+08:00

Somehow my blog entry's background turned blue. Don't know what happened.

I sense raya mood everywhere. And when the raya mood is in, the working mood goes straight down to zero. I have 20 raya cards given by the company to be sent out, but I hated the fact it's got bosses' and a particular government minister photos in front. Plain ketupat or pelita works soooo much better!!

Raya plans?? Am going back to hubby's kampung in Kedah on Friday. It's gonna be a long journey up north. I hope Imtiyaz behaves well in the car, and the traffic is smooth flowing. 2nd raya will be at my grandma's house in Penang, and hopefully will be back in KL by 3rd raya. I want to spend the remaining of my 2 days holiday in KL. I've got Lucas' Papaw Cream ready for Imtiyaz, for any attacks of mosquitoes & bugs. Last year, seems like he's a favourite. Red dots all over, especially on the face. Chubbiness sure attracts those insects eh?

Baju Raya?? Only a pair of baju kurung pesak gantung for myself. Hubby decided to wear last year's baju melayu since he didn't want to get ready-made ones. And to have it tailored, we're late! Imtiyaz has tons though. I have altered the length for his baju melayu yesterday. Didn't get him new shoes though, as he only wants his crocs. No point forcing him to wear new shoes just for the sake of having a new kasut raya. :)

Kuih Raya?? Already been warned by mom not to buy so much since we're not actually fans of kuih raya and most would last until post Raya Haji :D Already been warned by grandma in Penang not to bring back kuih raya, as when we leave for KL she'll pack them back with us.

Duit Raya?? This, I know I won't be getting any. Blurghhhhh!!

Kasut Raya?? I might need one.

Zakat Fitrah?? Checked.

Selamat Hari Raya, Maaf Zahir dan Batin.

Introducing Peachy Keen

2007-10-09T14:56:00.000+08:00

Visit our (Dydd & me) new sales blog @ http://peachykeensales.blogspot.com/. There are some STILA, MAC & Bobbi Brown make-up up for grabs!!

It's Friday!!

2007-10-05T10:27:00.000+08:00

Yeeeehaaaa!! The weekend at last!! Hubby's going to be away again tonight, until next Thursday. So I'll be alone with Imtiyaz & the maid for a while.

Not much plans for the weekend. Will be at Bijou Bazaar tomorrow, also need to do some last minute raya shopping for cookies n stuffs.

Hoping to get the much awaited rest this Sunday!! (won't be at the bazaar as stock's running low & I have some things to be settled)

Have a nice weekend peeps!!

Shoe Fetish

2007-10-04T16:05:00.000+08:00

My cousin loves shoes so much, that she took pics of 100 of her shoes (which may only be about 1/2 of the total), printed them out, and plan to paste the photos on the respective shoe boxes so that she doesn't have problems finding them anymore.

Talk about obsession!! :)

Approaching 2

2007-10-02T09:58:00.000+08:00

He'll turn 2 in less than 3 weeks. He shows a lot of protests these days, and he'll make faces to make you laugh if he thinks you are angry with him. He'll say "sorry" to himself if he hurts his ownself, and not for anything else.

He's showing interest in reading as he'll grab a book on his own and flips through. Once, I thought I've put him to sleep (and fell asleep myself) and I woke up seeing him on my bed flipping through a photo album alone.

He's getting very picky with food, opening his mouth only big enough to have a taste of everything first, before deciding to eat or not to eat. He asks for water all the time which is good. He loves carrots & anything soupy. He's also eating lots of fish. Diet-wise, I wouldn't worry (for now), as he is eating healthily and doesn't care much for ice creams and chocolates.

He mimics his Babah during prayers, complete with clucking sound from his mouth. His sujud is a total lie-on-stomach action (a one-time action to conclude the 2 sujuds). He can also count (in both Malay & English) but usually it ends until the number 9. (Reason : He counts when going up the staircase to the bedroom and there are only 9 steps :P)

He loves to sing, and every time his expression grows sad no matter how happy the song is.

His vocab is also growing but some are still quite hard to understand :

Ezzah : Imtiyaz & anyone else's names he can't pronounce (including my sis)

Babah : the most said word for now

Mama : me

Titi : Siti (what he calls my mom) & also Mickey Mouse (his favourite cartoon character)

Tatak/ Rina : the maid

Atuk : his atuk (my FIL)

Ibu : supposed to be Tok Ibu (my MIL)

Ayah : my sister's hubby (immitates cousin Adam)

Mimi : his cousin, Adam Hakeemi & also Minnie Mouse

Adek : his cousin, Fahd Hakeemi

Bok : book

Ayer : air

Yabo : the most famous word of all - anything to do with pens etc.

Sit/dodok : sit

Sleep/tido : sleep

Forfee : coffee (when he sees anyone holding a mug)

Foofy : Goofy

Duck : duck, or Donald

Daisy : Daisy Duck

Nyaa-nyah : my bro (his Pak Ngah) & my bro-in-law

Taa-teh : my sis-in-law (his Mak Teh)

To-teh : his Tok Teh (2 of them he recognizes so far)

bi boal : big ball

atu : hantu [this, i don't know where he learnt. Even calls the mannequin at Bijou Bazaar "Atu".

everytime he leaves the bazaar he'll go "tata atu..." (tata hantu)]

nose : nose

eyes : eyes

teeth : teeth

ears : ears

suwi : sorry

jajijay : spiderman

choo-choo : train

mimoke : remote (tv)

mimoke tak : to ask to change to his favourite Playhouse Disney Channel

There are some more which I can't recall. He's already started practising singing birthday song and blowing candles yesterday when he received a birthday/discount card from Mothercare.

Now, what was I thinking when I thought of not organizing a birthday party this year? :P

5 Things - Tagged by Ziah

2007-10-02T09:02:00.000+08:00

1. 5 things in my handbag/bag:
Wallet
Mobile phone
Baby wipes

Lipgloss
Tissue

2. 5 things in my wallet:
Cash
Medical Cards
Bank & Credit Cards
IC/Driving licence/Kad Kahwin
Receipts

3. 5 things in my favorite room (bedroom):
Books & mags
Lots of pillows
The table lamp
The new salt lamp bought from Dyda
Photo albums

4. 5 things I would like / love to do:
Go holiday
Chill out at home
Do the 'motor' adventure thingy on the desert (sorry, don't know what's it called)
Do Disneyland again
Have a drink of water (puasa kan? what else would you want hehe.)

5. 5 things I am currently doing:
Blogging
Listening to d'Cinnamons cd - an Indonesion jazz band
Thinking of what to eat for buka puasa
In between doing my office work
Looking at the greens outside

I know Jayne likes to be tagged. So I tag you & the rest who haven't done this.

Workstation

2007-09-28T08:51:00.000+08:00

These are pics of my new workstation, taken with the built-in notebook camera. Eversince I started work at this place, I've moved 3 times. All because the building is under renovation.

This new place is far from bosses' eyes, but it's not comfy at all. There are only tables around with no personal cubicles for me to stash my stuffs away. But at least I've got people I clique with around me. That's enough to make me happy.

Apart from the fleas flying around, making me scratch my legs the whole time, the view from up here is at least refreshing. I am now located on the connecting bridge between 2 wings (not at KLCC for sure), which some of them say it's like being on the Sg Buloh's Restoran Jejantas.

I must remember to bring air freshener next week. :P

Mom's away for umrah for 2 weeks with big bro so I have to plan the buka puasa menu now. It's tough deciding when all these while I only had to go home to a spreadful of dishes on the table.

Have a nice weekend, and if you are free, do drop by Bijou Bazaar!!

Sadness

2007-09-21T13:59:00.000+08:00

A lot of sad news going around lately.

First, the disappearance of Nurin Jazlin.
Next, a young girl's body was found in a bag.
Yesterday, DNA tests confirmed the body was of Nurin Jazlin.
Last Tuesday, the 10-year-old distant relative of mine who had brain tumor, passed away.

May the family have enough strength to support each other during this hard time.

Al-Fatihah.

Jakarta Trip

2007-09-19T17:18:00.000+08:00

I truly enjoyed Jakarta - the shopping, the people, the nasi padang, the fish & chips @ fish & co., the CELEBS we saw, the cream bath, the generous Uncle Manu, and especially the Bajaj. Adventure habis!! Minus the route yang lalu the sampah sarap of course. Hehe.

Key to a fun-filled weekend getaway is definitely good company. Thank you so much you guys!!

Another weekend ends...

2007-09-09T22:48:00.000+08:00

hubby's away again, scheduled for a week, but as usual, it could be more... I had a busy weekend as usual, but not able to stay at the house since the place is still pretty quiet and the top floor is extra quiet with only 4 units. Mom wouldn't let me spend my night there if hubby's not around. Oh well, guess the house would be collecting a little bit of dust these few weeks. I wouldn't be around this coming weekend too. :P

Friday night I was at a wedding of a distant relative, and also an ex-schoolmate. Didn't know he'd recognize me still, after not seeing each other for so long!! I do see the sister once in a while though, also the parents and grandma, but not him. It was a beautiful wedding nevertheless, and both the bride & groom were gorgeously clad in traditional Johor. Congratulation again Izani & Fazilah!!

The following day, another kenduri in Rembau held by in-laws.

This morning my intention was to visit the son of mom's cousin, a 10 year old boy with brain tumor who just had his surgery a few days ago. But when we arrived, he was having his scan, and since the nurses said it might take hours, we decided not to wait. With Imtiyaz along, there's no way he can wait quietly in the ward. Haris' condition is pretty severe with both eyes already blinded. It's really sad to think a boy who was once active, up & running, having to go through all these. But that's his share of life. And for all of us, we never know what's in store. You have my prayers with you Haris...

And at last, I managed to go to Bijou Bazaar!! Bumped into Dydd & Din, also Wegra of coz!!

Protest

2007-09-06T09:04:00.001+08:00

One day, in order to show his protest to mom, coz not allowed to freely walk in and out of her room due to his fetish to the glass side table, table lamp, and the large vase (all obviously very fragile)...

...he decided to go in when mom was inside, went straight to a decorative candle, lift it, took a bite of it and went "mmmmm yummy!!"

25 Spontaneous Q ~ Tagged by Ziahlicious

2007-09-04T09:31:00.000+08:00

25 spontaneous questions

1. What do you want for your birthday?
A nice, long holiday.

2. Who will be your next kiss?
On normal days, I only kiss 2 particular people.

3. When was the last time you went to the mall?
Last week. To Ikano with mummy-o, raz & dydd.

4. Are you wearing socks right now?
Nope.

5. How did you spend your summer?
It's always summer in Malaysia, so it's just like any other day. :)

6. Have you been to the movies in the last 5 days?
The last I went was in Aberdeen a few years back I think!! Am just not a movie freak.

7. What was the last thing you had drink?
Plain water for sahur. My first day to replace my puasa today, believe it or not. Have been holding on coz I needed my eyedrops all the time after the intralasik. Hope I can survive without them for another 7 days :P

8. What are you wearing right now?
Baju kurung.

9. What was your last purchase?
Groceries. And a spiderman toothbrush for Imtiyaz.

10.What was the last food you ate?
Raisin bun for sahur.

11. Who would be the person you would call if you were up in the middle of the night and couldn't sleep?
Hubby, if he's not home. Else, I'd grab a book or mag .

12. Have you bought any clothing items in the last week?
Hmmm... I don't think so. Waiting for the Jakarta trip next week!! ;)

13. Do you have a pet?
No. I'm too lazy to maintain them.

14. What made you laugh in the last 5 days?
Imtiyaz's rendition of Rimas by Fabulous Cats.
And errr... I laugh a lot. I can't remember.

15. If you could be anywhere right now, where would you be?
I really wanna go for umrah again.

16. What is the last thing you purchased online?
mummy-o bought tickets to Jakarta on behalf of me, wegra & raz with my card. Does that count?

17. One thing you hate about yourself?
For now, I feel like having a liposuction. Tummy's getting unbearable. Haha.

18. What's your favorite soup?
I love tomyam, beef stew, mushroom soup, vege soup, chicken soup... I love anything soupy!!

19. Do you miss anyone?
My dad.

20. What are your plans for the day?
Stay in front of the pc. Maybe go to Midvalley to exchange the shirt my sis-in-law bought for Imtiyaz. A size 3-4 yrs and I think by the time raya comes it'll be too tight :D

21. Last person you SMS-ed?
Kenny, the roller-blind man last night - to confirm orders.

22. Ever went to camp?
Been to a lot, since primary school.

23. Were you a good student in school?
Primary school: Was a favourite!! :P
Secondary School: I don't think so...
Uni: OK laa...

24. What do you know about the (your) future?
Anything can happen.

25. Are you wearing any perfume or cologne?
At the moment a DKNY.

I tag Dura, Jade, Jayne and anyone else who haven't been tagged yet.

Merdeka

2007-08-30T09:02:00.000+08:00

Selamat Hari Kemerdekaan ke-50 to all. It's actually amazing to see how Imtiyaz seems to understand a bit on merdeka.

Previously, the sight of the Malaysian flag will make him go "te-tae-taa!!". Now, when watching merdeka ads even without the Malaysian flag he'll know it's on merdeka. Especially the ad with Adibah Noor. I have only seen it once, and Imtiyaz followed almost everything (obviously he has seen it more than once). The salute part, up to the placing the bouquet of flowers at the tugu negara. (correct me if i'm wrong. I've only seen it once remember? and at that time was too busy watching my son role-playing :D)

Eventhough I didn't display the Malaysian flag on my car, or at my house (but Imtiyaz has a few collection of the Malaysian flag)... I am definitely proud to be Malaysian - straight from the heart.

Starbucks Coffee

2007-08-29T17:09:00.000+08:00

Received this from Zezz today and thought of sharing it.

Thanks Zezz. Somehow it cheered up my dampened mood today. :D

To.Look.Forward

2007-08-24T16:24:00.000+08:00

... there's my first ever trip abroad with only girlfriends ...

... and the micro retailing thingy ...

... of course, the Ramadhan & Eid season ...

... and everything else... except the office work, of course!! ...

But like I said to a friend earlier... the job we are so bored of, and the job we kept on complaining about, is the one that kept us going, to allow us to do things that makes us happy, and limit us from financial problems that might lead to other bigger problems. True?

Another Bazaar, yeay!!

2007-08-23T20:38:00.000+08:00

Visit Bijou Bazaar @ Jaya Shopping Centre, Section 14, PJ, every weekend!!
(Gosh I miss that place!! Great chance to spot ex-SSPians there, I think)

the place to be

2007-08-16T13:36:00.000+08:00

Nothing fancy, nothing extraordinary. But it's special in its own way - a place to call our own.

This weekend, if all goes well, we'll be staying at our own place. And it will still be a weekend getaway spot for us - to spend more quality time together. At least until our work places are nearer. Or Imtiyaz is big enough to not have to send him over to mom's place while we're at work.

I'm looking forward to do my own proper cooking, after soooo long!! (Having your own personal kitchen really perks up your mood eh? Or is it just me.)

... and to have family & friends over of course. :)

It's always great...

2007-08-14T13:35:00.000+08:00

...:: colours ::...

... to have what you plan become a reality.

"Congratulations Sri & Fera on the arrival of your new baby boy!!"

The Gym

2007-08-09T08:57:00.000+08:00

"malam ini penyu menangis..."

Yesterday, I forced my heavy butt to the office gym, after weeks of wanting to go (...and ended up going home instead :P) only to find out, yesterday was the day the fitness trainer is around.

And boy, having not properly exercised the past few months, I felt like an old lady trying hard to be young again. But it was good, and I felt good. The fact that you get a free personal trainer is definitely a plus. Fitness training is every Wednesday and Friday. So maybe I'll go for the yoga session every Monday too. Semangat ni!! Hehehe.

There are 2 birthday parties to look forward to this weekend. And some things to settle at KD. Already looking forward to the weekend!! :)

Wedding cum Party

2007-07-31T17:34:00.000+08:00

I was here 2 weeks ago. For the wedding reception in the afternoon, and the joget lambak turned party scene at night. I already left when the police came though. Nothing bad, just asked to turn down the volume a bit I think. :)

Father & Son

2007-07-31T16:05:00.000+08:00

Tagged by Ziah

2007-07-30T13:12:00.000+08:00

Complete the sentences:

1) A person is only as good as they get

2) Friendship is for life

3) To love is to care

4) Money makes me spend

5) I miss my dad

6) My way of saying I care is to show & tell

7) I try to spread love and happiness by sharing what I have

8) Pick the flowers when it's too gorgeous to ignore

9) To love someone is when there's never a dull moment

10) Beauty is easily achievable nowadays

11) When I was thirteen, what I remember the most was the seniors!!

12) When i was twenty one, what I remember the most was being in love

13) I am most happy when things go the way I wanted them to

14) Nothing makes me happier than being with my family

15) If I can change one thing, I will change my career

16) If smiles were gold then I'll be smiling non-stop

17) Wouldn't it be nice if we have a 3-day weekend

18) If you want to French me, I say, huh?

19) Money is not everything but everything needs money

20) The most touching moments I have experienced is to have Imtiyaz call 'mama in his sleep

21) I smile when I want to

22) When I am happy, I become hyperactive

23) If only I don't have to come to work

24) The best thing I did yesterday was spending time with my family at the beach

25) If I ever write a book, I will give it this title - Don't Judge the Book by Its Cover

26) One thing I must do before I die is to ask forgiveness from everyone

27) Doing the meme, I feel like I have a blogger's block :P

Now I tag Jayne, Pink & Dura.

The Cherating Getaway

2007-07-30T10:07:00.000+08:00

Post-surgery, we, (including sister's family & mom) went to Cherating. I was on sunglasses all the way, even in the room & at night sometimes, to avoid getting my eyes too dry. I vowed not to go near the sea in any way. (konon2)

Saturday, after a disappointment going to Kemaman for the famous Kopi Hai Peng - only to find out they are on a long holiday, we decided to head to Kuala Terengganu to visit Mak Uda & family. Went to the usual spot - Pasar Payang for batik and such, before a lovely tea by the sea (near the airport) consisting of fish, squid & prawn fritters. Yumms!! I'd go there again for sure!!

After cleaning up & prayers, we head back to Cherating, arriving just after 9pm. We (or the rest actually) missed a day of fun & frolic on the beach that day. But I guess the visit to KT made up for it. I am still salivating over the thought of the fritters until today laa..!!

Imtiyaz, on the other hand, after the dip in the pool the first day we arrived, started to cough and had a bit of a temperature.

Sunday morning we had breakfast by the pool, and head to the beach. Imtiyaz wasn't allowed to go into the water, but he seems happy enough to be able to dig into the sand. I cannot resist the fun so eventhough I vowed not to go near the sea, I had my biggest shades on, and happily tanned myself away.

At about 1pm we checked out and had an enjoyable road trip along the greeneries of Pahang, stopping over for lunch and delicious durian at Maran. A satisfying weekend break, definitely!!

IntraLasik

2007-07-30T09:24:00.000+08:00

I had my Intralasik done last Tuesday, and today is the first day back at work. I can go about without glasses & contact lens now, and I managed to drive smoothly to work. Astigmatism is still quite high for left eye so vision is not as sharp. But as they say, it will improve gradually. And the dry eyes is quite irritating, but hey, as long as it's not painful, I can live with it (but not too long plz :D)

Overall experience, I'd say it's an OK. I have always had low tolerance for pain, so am grateful for the 3 hours stingy eyes experience. That's another reason why I opt for Intralasik to Lasek. Lasek patients would experience more pain and take longer time to recover, eventhough it's more tissue saving compare to Lasik or Intralasik. For more info, go to http://www.optimax.com.my. And if any of you decide to do any of the treatment, do quote my name so I can claim the referral fee. :P

Weekends... and such!!

2007-07-17T08:31:00.001+08:00

Every time hubby's back I have to rush here to get things done... especially on the house. I feel so bad having to miss a meet-up with miss-cream and some other friends last weekend, just because I was caught up in the middle of something and it was already 4pm!! I just hope I'm able to catch up with her and family before they return to France.

Reading an entry mummy-o wrote on how she loved the weekend, I can't help thinking we don't get enough weekends. 3 days would be nice... ;)

Birthday Wish

2007-07-11T15:50:00.000+08:00

Happy Birthday Dear Husband!!

... now we're equal.

(Caution : Do not risk blowing candles where you are now)

Lasik

2007-07-10T13:04:00.000+08:00

I have been holding on from doing the procedure just because I didn't want to go on glasses for 10-14 days. It's the thing with glasses actually, I felt like I can't see enough, compare to if using contact lenses. You see, to perform the surgery, one cannot use the contact lense for 10-14 days. And me, without contact lenses mean incredible blurry vision.

Last nite I decided there and then that I needed the corrective surgery. I've seen people (including hubby, bro and cousin) who had 20/20 vision now and life seems so much easier. I made my decision purely because the contact lenses seem to be giving me problems now. Most of the time, it's itchy dry eyes. Almost all the time, by 9pm I'd be struggling hard to keep my eyes comfy. Some days, the eyes will be uncomfortable the minute contact lenses are inserted.

The eye assessment will be this Saturday. And if all goes well, I'd have it done next Friday. Looking forward to a bright and clear vision every time I open my eyes in the morning.

Trip to Pahang

2007-07-09T09:38:00.000+08:00

I was away from office since Thursday. Site visit to Pekan & Rompin. Have never been there before, if I remember correctly. Let's not count passing-throughs, or childhood trips.

The trip was interesting. The host was excellent. The food was glorious.

Managed to get some fresh lobsters to bring home, eventhough it's not the lobster season now. Go to Kuala Rompin in February and lobsters would be cheap.

And while in Pekan, try their famous murtabak. Too bad the host packed the murtabak for us right after a delicious ikan bakar dinner at Abang Ki's. I managed to eat just for the sake of tasting it, and left the remaining to be re-heated the next day.

The Bra Discovery

2007-07-03T09:04:00.000+08:00

I have just noticed, one of the bras I bought last week has inflatable pads for the cups. Wow!! I never knew I would one day own those special effects bra. Exciting, eventhough I have never given much thought to the size of my (ahem!) asset. I guess I'm comfortable enough with the way it is now.

Have yet to experiment with the effect of it being semi-blown or fully-blown though. (kan baru perasan boleh tiup2 gitu... hehe...)

If you start to notice the change of my size later on, you'd know the inflatable bra rules!!

Chaos

2007-06-29T08:57:00.000+08:00

"Don't mess with me"

I've made up my mind not to bring the l'il one along if I want to do some serious shopping - even if I have hubby, or the maid along to look after him. Let's not mention mom here, she surrendered longggg ago. Hehe.

He'd be under the rails of clothes, taking shortcuts instead of going through the aisle. He'd play peek-a-boo with strangers who at the same time is playing guessing game whether he's a HE or a SHE. I really need to do something about the hair eh?

He refused to be held - wanting to go into elevators on his own, stand on the escalators like we do, refused to put on his harness (have I mentioned he's starting to refuse being strapped to his car seat as well). He'll only sit in his stroller if it moves all the time - meaning no stopping to look/buy.

As much as I hate having to leave him at home when I'm not at work, I might have to train myself to be heartless at times. Don't you think??

Have a good weekend!!

Talk About Responsibility

2007-06-27T16:29:00.000+08:00

I received this in my inbox today, from a retail company I subscribed to, quite some time ago, based in the UK.

Dear XXXXXX,

As a valued customer we wanted you to know that a baby's dress sold in our stores has been recalled.

It has come to our attention that this dress, which was sold as part of a set also containing a hat and underwear, has decorative beads that are a potential choking hazard for small children.

As a responsible company, XXXXXX is recalling this dress, which has been on sale since April. There is a label sewn inside the dress that reads "Little Bitty." There is also a second label sewn into the dress that reads "Exclusive of TRMS Excepto Los Adornos. V52440. Made in Philippines."

And so we don't miss any of our customers, we will be placing ads in national press.If you have purchased this dress please return it to any XXXXXX store or see a member of staff for a full refund.

The Gloop

2007-06-27T13:56:00.001+08:00

Recalling back the time when I worked for The Hamilton School in Scotland few years back, 1 activity I noticed managed to attract the attention of the children every single time, is the Gloop.

It's easy to prepare, but not so easy to be cleaned afterwards. If you plan to do it indoors, please have the area covered and your kid has an apron on, as this is categorized under the 'messy' activity.

The ingredients :

1. cornflour

2. water

3. a bit of colouring

Just mix all 3 together until the texture becomes sticky but dilluted enough to actually cascade downwards when the child lifts the hand. (I know I am not doing a good job at describing, sorry!)

This activity promotes simple science & sensory experience. Try it!!

Approaching 31st August...

2007-06-27T13:00:00.000+08:00

Imtiyaz seems to have developed the merdeka (independence) spirit. Whenever he sees flags, be it on telly, or on books, even the proton symbol in front of Proton cars, any country's flag... he'd go,

TE -TAE - TAAA!! (it's merdeka to us all)

...now I know the powers of tv ads. :)

Hey Bro!!

2007-06-27T08:20:00.000+08:00

Last 2 weeks when I received my company's medical card, the l'il one's name was spelled out :

Imtiyaz bin Ishak

Ironically, yesterday, when hubby received his company's medical card, it was :

Imtiyaz bin Tajul Urus

So the l'il one should be calling us Kakak & Abang, instead of Mama & Babah eh? :P

Sniffs

2007-06-26T12:50:00.001+08:00

Am down with a bad case of flu. I hope it won't get transferred to the l'il one.

Sleepless Weekend

2007-06-18T11:01:00.000+08:00

When the l'il one coughs, he'll pull my finger and shove it into his mouth begging me to get rid of whatever's inside that's causing the pain.

Heartbreaking, coz there's nothing I can do.

Temperature-wise, it was 38 this morning, so much better than the alarming 40 for the past 2 days, dragging me to the ER two nights in a row.

And it all started just when hubby has to be away again.

Little Einsteins

2007-06-13T12:55:00.000+08:00

For mommies out there with kids who simply adore Disney's Little Einsteins, a movie will be out soon!!

For more info, go to http://disney.go.com/littleeinsteins/swf/main.html

Grammar

2007-06-12T13:58:00.000+08:00

I looked up on grammar issues which I always confuse myself with, and found these :

Which is correct?
1. Your shoes are on the wrong feet or
2. Your shoes are on the wrong foot.

Actually I was looking up usage of "shoe" and "shoes". Tak jumpa pun.

The response was :

Unless you catch this person before he puts on the second shoe, you've got to use "feet."

Oh wow, how complicated is that? Sempat ke nak pikir? Hehe.

Oooppss!!

2007-06-11T17:03:00.000+08:00

I've mistaken between Nadiah & Nadene. I thought Nadene is Nadiah, according to my vivid memory of how she looked like in school some 17 years ago.

Anyhow, Congratulations to our prime minister!!

Yabo!!

2007-06-08T09:31:00.000+08:00

Whenever Imtiyaz wants his colouring book and crayons he'd point to where I keep it and go "Yabo!!"

I know it's not good for us to encourage him to keep on using the word "yabo" which I'm sure meant colour/crayons to him, but we find ourselves speaking the same language as him at times. :P

Some Thoughts

2007-06-06T15:03:00.001+08:00

At an Aidilfitri open house some time back :

"Anak kita doktor nak kawin dengan graduate IT. Suruh dia carik doktor jugak dia taknak."
(My son who is a doctor is marrying an IT graduate. Asked him to go for doctors but he refused.)

The future daughter in law would have a hard time.

I believed her children are all doctors - the only career that can make their mom proud.

Don't get me wrong. I once wanted to be a doctor too. And I think it's great achievement to become one. But the mind-setting of some of our people who thinks only doctors can make a fine living, only doctors are clever, only doctors are this and that, somehow amuses me. And they had to put down other noble jobs at the same time. Worse still, these people are usually not even doctors themselves.

Someone close to me shot back at someone saying similar things as the above.
"Bukan semua orang pandai nak jadi doktor."
(Not all smart people would want to be doctors.)

Someone I know would comment "pandainya dia" everytime she hears people pursuing medicine and would go "wow" if one is marrying a doctor. Would she say "pandainya dia" if someone chose to be a geologist for instance? I don't think I've heard.

p.s. since when did I start to translate malay terms to english in my blog? :P

Alive & Kicking

2007-06-06T08:34:00.000+08:00

So far there is still no work to be done. First few days at Pudica (Jade, I am using your term) was tormenting just because I didn't have any machines to work on. I even managed to finish Dina Zaman's I am Muslim while helplessly hoping for someone to come and stash me a laptop.

But I think I'll be fine here. I hope. At least I already have a laptop. :P

Forever 21

2007-05-22T11:31:00.001+08:00

mummy-o text-ed me Sunday morning with the birthday wish and the Forever 21 msg. Hehe. And I shall definitely live up to the motto. But not up to the tak sedar diri level la, I hope!! :P

But hey, I'm only 21 and the hearing test I did yesterday revealed my left ear is a bit off. Sheeeshhhhhh!!

Not much of a celebration this year. Mainly because hubby's been away for 2 weeks already. But am looking forward to this weekend's short getaway with my family, before the not-so-l'il bro flies off to Riyadh.

Thank you all for the birthday wishes. They definitely made my day!! :)

Sob!!

2007-05-17T15:01:00.000+08:00

It's official that I won't be receiving my salary for this month. I have to pay the company for not serving the remaining 1 month notice.

I'll make sure in the future I will never work for a company that requires more than 1 month notice to leave.

And to the future company, it better be worth it!!

Of Decisions & Everything Else

2007-05-15T13:43:00.000+08:00

Future company doesn't practise paying off for their future employees. Therefore, it's either me paying my current company, or they let me go off freely. Let's hope for the latter!!

As for the coccyx pain which has been here for about 19 months already (it started when I was 8 months pregnant with Imtiyaz) - I have stopped my chiropractic treatment recently, just so I could try out some traditional massage to get rid of the remaining 10% of pain. Already had 3 weekly sessions of full body massage and I have to say the result is promising. The first 2 sessions were extra painful but it got better on the 3rd. I guess all my veins and muscles have started to get into place. And hey, I can sit without much pain now!! Hoorayyy!! But as I have already been in pain for so long, even without much pain I tend to be very cautious when sitting down, careful not to shove all my body weight to one point. So if anyone sees me sitting in a rather weird manner, don't start assuming I have bisul or what-not ok?? Trust me, it was the most excruciating pain in my life so far (and I am not exaggerating), so I really don't want it to happen again.

Stuck.In.The.Middle

2007-05-10T16:02:00.000+08:00

Current employer not willing to let go early. Wants me to stay on. At least serve the 2 mths notice, or pay.

Future employer wants me to start 1st June. Or else, offer cancelled. Eksyen sungguh!!

Habis tu macam mana??

Happy Birthday Mama!!

2007-05-09T11:47:00.000+08:00

Guess where we celebrated? The hospital, out of all places. My nephew Adam was admitted due to high fever, therefore mom didn't have the heart to go and celebrate elsewhere. So we brought food and cakes to the hospital.

Happy 53rd birthday, Mama. May you have a great life ahead of you. I love you!

Tea

2007-05-08T09:57:00.000+08:00

I'm doing this Ahmad guy a favour. I am more of a coffee person. I can't live without my daily dose of black coffee, nescafe, or anything coffee. At least twice a day.

A visit to a relative's house recently introduced me to this flavoured tea. The fruity taste is strong, and the aroma is refreshing. I fell in love there and then.

Maybe I should stop taking too much coffee and switch to tea instead since it contains high levels of antioxidant compounds. Let me list down some of the medical benefits from drinking tea (sorry coffee, I'll do a post on you one day :P) :

*source : http://www.farsinet.com/hottea/medicalbenefits.html*

Arthritis: Research suggests that older women who are tea drinkers are 60 percent less likely to develop rheumatoid arthritis than those who do not drink tea.

Bone Density: Drinking tea regularly for years may produce stronger bones. Those who drank tea on a regular basis for 10 or more years had higher-bone mineral density in their spines than those who had not.

Cancer: Green tea extracts were found to inhibit the growth of bladder cancer cells in the lab — while other studies suggest that drinking green tea protects against developing stomach and esophageal cancers.

Sipping on a cup of hot tea may be a safeguard against cancer. Population studies have linked the consumption of tea with a reduction in risk for several types of cancer. Researchers speculate that the polyphenols in tea may inhibit certain mechanisms that promote cancer growth. Both green and black teas have been credited with cancer-inhibiting powers.

Flu: You may be able to boost your fight against the flu with black tea.
Your best defense against contracting the flu is to wash your hands often and get vaccinated against the influenza virus. Black tea may further bolster your efforts to stay healthy. In a recent study, people who gargled with a black tea extract solution twice per day showed a higher immunity to flu virus compared to the people who did not gargle with black tea.

Heart Disease: A recent study published in the journal Circulation found that drinking more than two cups of tea a day decreased the risk of death following a heart attack by 44 percent. Even less spirited tea drinkers were rewarded: Consuming just two cups a day decreased the risk of death by almost a third.
Tea is a rich source of the flavonoids quercetin, kaempferol, and myricetin, and research shows that high dietry intake of these compounds is associated with a reduced risk of fatal heart attacks. In one study, people who drank about a cup and a half of tea per day were almost 40% less likely to suffer a heart attack compared to tea abstainers.

High Blood Pressure: Tea lovers may be surprised to learn their beverage of choice touts yet another health benefit: blood pressure control. Drinking a half-cup of green or oolong tea per day reduced a person's risk of high blood pressure by almost 50% in a new study. People who drank at least two and a half cups per day reduced their risk even more. Their risk was reduced even if they had risk factors for high blood pressure, such as high sodium intake.

Parkinson's Disease: Tea consumption may be protective against developing this debilitating neurological disorder.

Oral Health: Rinsing with tea may prevent cavities and gum disease.

Cantiknya Rumah Itu

2007-05-07T15:26:00.000+08:00

Raz had another housewarming last Saturday. My 1st time there though. First impression - gorgeous!! The house had a character, even on its own. Loved the open air yards, and the wooden flooring. Loved the just-nice sizing of its living, dining. The furniture and the colour scheme just complements each other. And I just love the kitchen cabinet. Period.

Let's not start on the food served ok, coz I actually regretted not eating more!! :P

What Next??

2007-05-03T14:51:00.000+08:00

I managed to go for an interview last week (yeah, yeah... I decided to change job again), and I got a call just recently telling me I've secured the job (no black & whites yet so let's hope they won't change their mind).

My problem is :

I hate having to submit the resignation letter. (eventhough you never know, the boss might be glad but decided to put on a solemn face just for show)

But I've made my decision anyway. I suppose the new job would be a good place for me to move on to the next level besides being able to save my social skills (working in a male-only company with the exception of moi, with only 6 staffs altogether is not doing me any good in the socials department you know).

The best thing is, the new office would be only 10 minutes away from mom's place. Yeay!!

But I'll surely miss the flexi environment - coming to work at 10am, out for lunch at non-peak hours, the casual attire. There's no way I can do those at the new place.

Wish me luck peeps (again, let's hope they won't change their mind before producing the black & whites).

Have a nice weekend!!

What Else is New

2007-04-27T11:09:00.000+08:00

Beach getaway @ Feringghi

Didn't have much to blog about these days. The internet connection has been slow and I was on holiday Monday & Tuesday to settle some stuffs. A tiring one though, so I am still longing for more holidays to come.

Yesterday, not knowing whether my company declared the day off or not, since bosses weren't around for more than a week - I was forced by sis & bro-in-law to 'respect' the installation ceremony of Yang di-Pertuan Agong and self-declare it's a holiday. Hubby, of coz, supported them all the way. Being the weak me, though worried about the amount of work piled up , I followed suit and went with them to the Bird Park. No pics, coz the battery's out again. It's a beautiful place (though with disturbing smells here and there) and Imtiyaz, Adam & Fahd obviously enjoyed the open space while making full use of their eyes, ears and (of coz) nose!! :D

So here's to another week full of public holidays. Yeay!!

New Age

2007-04-13T13:40:00.000+08:00

These are called Jibbitz. It's to accessorize your crocs. Not too expensive if you buy 1, but to fill in all the holes.... go figure :P

Which reminds me (I think it's flashback time now... all my friends seem to do the same), back in the 80s to accessorize our sneakers, we'll have either those thick fluorescent-coloured shoelaces, or those fluorescent multicoloured thingy to lace up WITH the shoelaces. I can't find any pics though. :P

Which also reminds me... as a child of the 80s :

You had a crush on one of the New Kids on the Block members.
You love designing your own t-shirt using those things called Scribbles.
You can remember what Michael Jackson looked like before his nose fell off.
You can remember watching Full House and Saved by the Bell for hours!!
You owned an extensive collection of Cabbage Patch Kids, Trolls & Care Bears.
Your t-shirt have fluorescent designs.
You wanted to have an alien like Alf or Vicki the Robot living in your house.
You own at least 1 Swatch watch.
You wear hi-cut sneakers with tights.

Care to add to the list?? :D

The Date

2007-04-09T16:00:00.000+08:00

I dated him last month to my sis-in-law's wedding. Don't tell my hubby ok?

Terrible.Mood.Mode

2007-04-06T13:27:00.000+08:00

It's Friday again. It has been a good week (some days were not as good, as usual). I've been pampered with having been driven to and fro work every day, some days even taken out for lunch. Yes, the effect of being apart for some time.

But of coz, there were still the odd rows too - just to spice things up. I still think I should make the fuss anyway, no matter what he says. And I still think I'm right. I hope one day he'll realize I do have a point. And when he does, I'm gonna have a BIG celebration - alone. Or maybe I'll invite those people who understood my point from the start too. We'll see.

Looking forward to Nemo on Ice tonight with the l'il boy and his cousin, Adam. There's the PD trip tomorrow too, for a wedding. No chance of stopping by wherever I want to. And another do at bro-in-law's place. Which I don't think I can be there on time. The PD trip could take ages.

Have a nice weekend everyone. I.am.in.a.bad.mood.and.don't.feel.like.talking. If you haven't realized that from the start anyway. It's that time of the month (which is weird, coz it's not usually like this. I have this image of me punching someone's face at the mo, and I really wanna do it real life).