Irin Putri & Son

Yummy Kelantan

2012-01-30T08:29:00.000+08:00

One thing I like about going for assignments in Kelantan..the food. Our local representative, Abe Napi, loves to eat too. So he often brings me to different2 places to eat in between shoots.

We were gonna have breakfast at White House but it was still closed for Chinese New Year celebration. I was actually looking forward to it but what to do.

Later on, I was so jakun (or Kelantanese would say 'darat') when he brought me to warung Din Tokyo. It was like teppanyaki concept where customers sit around the kitchen. It was my first time eating at such place.

Oh yeah, the food. About 6 years ago when I was in Kelantan for MedikTV shoot, I had Nasi Tumpang for the first time. I really liked it! And then I finally get to eat it again after so long.

Ah bliss..no more mengidam :)

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

2012 Design Is In!

2012-01-25T14:27:00.000+08:00

Finally! I managed to give this blog a little facelift. Hope the design and colours this time is kind to the eyes. Locate the following new pictures on the sidebar that will grace this blog until...the next facelift?

My First Beach Getaway

2012-01-25T08:30:00.000+08:00

Hello aunties and uncles! I'm loving 2012! It's because it began with the most AWESOME vacation in my almost 2.5-year existence! Here I am behind the wheel on the way to our destination - Kuantan, Pahang!

I was SO excited that I didn't sleep throughout the journey. In fact, I was on the car seat the WHOLE TIME. Mommy was so pleased. It was raining along the way, quite heavily at one point. Daddy was worried that we might not be able to enjoy the outdoors. It was monsoon season.

So we reached our hotel and guess what? The rain stopped! Yahoo! It's as if God knew we were reaching. I went straight to our room's balcony to check out the view. I liked what I saw!

We didn't waste any time. The weather was cloudy but it wasn't raining. I was brought straight down to check out the pool - or so I thought. I was surprised why we walked passed the pool. I hesitated at first but decided to just follow them to this place with tons of sand.

Little did I know, they were bringing me to the mother of all pools!

SO MUCH WATER! SUCH VAST OPEN SPACE!!

And the water kept on teasing me. Although I stood a bit further from the water, it kept coming to me over and over again.

So that was my introduction to the beach and the sea :)

Next up, swimming! This time around mommy was confident in letting me swim without the float, for once!

Wasn't much of a swim anyway. More like walking in water and splashing around.

That was the end of the first day in Kuantan. Being new to the beach, daddy said "I will let you play at the beach as much as you want."

Woohoo!

So the next day, we went for a walk along the beach first thing after breakfast..it was rather sunny this time.

Mommy decided to dress me up in this bright hawaiian attire. Daddy thinks I looked a bit overdressed but mommy insisted. It's because she bought it 1.5 years ago and I never had the chance to wear it since I never went to the beach!

But orange really makes the pictures look nice, kan? And the blue sky...oh my!

Although it didn't rain, the weather was getting uncomfortably hot. Another round of swimming and I was back in the room.

We had lunch and I napped while waiting for the weather to cool down. Being the monsoon season in Pahang, we were lucky it didn't rain at all on that day.

I went back to the beach that evening when the weather was just nice. This time around we spend about 2 hours just playing with water. It was the most awesome experience ever!

That night, the hotel had this huge party to welcome the new year. Not interested in all that, I went down, in my cute little pajamas, simply to play some games...

I think I played for a good 1.5 hours. Totally flat out..I was already in lalaland just a few minutes before the stroke of midnight. I missed the fireworks!

The next day, before we left, daddy once again brought me to the beach. After all that fun, it's only natural that I slept all the way back home...

There you have it, aunties and uncles - first beach getaway :)

Mission: Weaning - Complete!

2012-01-14T09:08:00.001+08:00

Raees was on EBM for about a week before we introduced him to formula. I've always been afraid he would reject it, knowing how fussy he is.

So we started mixing the formula in EBM slowly and he drank it all without any complains!

I had to increase the amount of formula quicker than planned coz my supply became dangerously low and I was going outstation for a shoot.

Here's the EBM-formula division...

9 Jan 2012
4/5 breast milk + 1/5 formula

10 Jan 2012
1/2 breast milk + 1/2 formula

11 Jan 2012
1/3 breast milk + 2/3 formula

12 Jan 2012
1/6 breast milk + 5/6 formula

After this I expected him to be on full formula. As if knowing that he's about to be totally weaned off, he refused to drink altogether. He just pushed the bottle away without even tasting it. Probably a sign of protest.

He hasn't had a drop of milk for the last 48 hours. And I'm already on my way to Penang for work. So it's safe to say, Raees has totally weaned off now.

The last drop of breast milk he had was on 12 Jan 2012, in the afternoon while I was at work.

In total, Raees breastfed for 2 years, 4 months, 2 weeks and 4 days.

To celebrate this day, he got a much-needed hair cut :)

Mission: Weaning

2012-01-09T13:13:00.001+08:00

My little family spent the new year in Kuantan. Finally we went on vacation!

I will write about it soon but what happened post vacation is what's interesting..

1 Jan 2012
We were back from vacation. Raees was breastfed to sleep, as usual.

2 Jan 2012
1:00am
Woke up, as usual. Transferred from crib to the bed, again as usual. The only unusual thing about that night was, he continued sleeping! He didn't help himself to milk!

9:00am
Knowing Raees, he would wake up for milk every 2-3 hours. I can't believe he didn't! What surprised me most, he woke up all happy and cheerful...and didn't ask for milk!

He was probably extremely tired after the vacation but I took this as a sign to start weaning him off. I quickly went to the kitchen and made a 'paste' to apply on my nippies. This is attempt no.2. The first time I attempted to wean him off was about a month back. I used coffee. But he didn't seem to mind the taste. So the first attempt was a total failure.

There's a collection of formula that we attempted to give him but just the sight of milk is enough to put him off. That's why my mom and Mer both thought this time I could apply the formula to wean him off.

So I made a formula paste and applied it.

Throughout the day he asked for milk about 4 times (by asked I mean he self serviced). Each time he didn't like what he saw and went on to do other things. Just like that! No crying, nothing.

3 Jan 2012
6:00am
Woke up for milk. Again didn't like what he saw but tried tasting it anyway. He was put off and went back to sleep. He was so restless that it took him 2 hours to finally settle down.

It was a work day. Usually when I get back from work, Raees would straight away 'attack' me (ala rugby player) to get milk. But not anymore. From this day onwards, he has stopped searching for milk!

11:00pm
I offered him EBM. Usually he never accepts the bottle from me. But today, he did! It was history in the making. It was also a significant milestone in the weaning process.

Not used to holding his own bottle

So that was all it took for Raees to wean off the boob. Next is to introduce formula. I've been pumping twice daily and he's still on EBM. I really hope he will accept formula with open arms. My milk production is decreasing rapidly.

It's been a week since he last latched on. Somehow I miss breastfeeding..but hey, it's for the best. He's a big boy now. Since weaning off, he seems more macho and less whiny too.

The only trouble we face now is he's becoming a terrible sleeper. He's restless and wakes up around 5-6am no matter how late he sleeps. The other day he slept early,10pm. He woke up at 3am and stayed awake til 8am! *pengsan*

A week earlier I would've breastfed him and he would go right back to sleep. Now I don't have the upper hand anymore and couldn't put him to sleep as easily. I hope this is just a phase. I look forward to my quality goodnight's rest. Soon, I hope!

The Wedding Singer

2012-01-09T12:10:00.002+08:00

Happy new year people! It's about a week into 2012 and there's so much to share! I shall start in the order of events. First up...

As 2011 was coming to an end, Ezmir's not so little brother and sister in law got married! Yes, double wedding! But not organized together though. Bro Ali and Alya got hitched back in late October...

...and sis Fiza and Afzal in early December.

Fiza's wedding reception was held at Empire Hotel, Subang. Having been in contact with Jazz Community Malaysia for MagSeven recently, I got a jazz band, Chamil & The Band, and solo guitarist-singer Niqi, to perform at the reception. And they were Ah-mazing! They began by performing the wedding must-have song 'Direnjis-renjis Dipilis' in jazz.

Prior to the event, I *secretly* discussed with the band about singing at the wedding, as a surprise for the bride and groom. The only practice I had with the band was about an hour before the event began..acoustically because the sound system was still being set up. That night I was super nervous, I didn't really eat afraid it would affect my voice somehow. I was invited on stage during dinner and off I went and did my thing...

I only performed one song. Didn't wanna steal the bride and groom's thunder pulak (haha!). Later that night after the wedding, as the guests were mingling and taking pictures, the band went on to jam through the night.

Then Mer's aunt requested for me to sing a Malay song. Just so happen the band wanted me to jam with them...so we agreed on a song and I did an impromptu performance to a 3/4 empty hall. This was also the last performance for the night.

I've always wanted to sing/jam with a band. Back then Sri Pentas had a jamming studio and my colleagues and I jammed almost everyday! Being able to perform live like this is just an amazing feeling. I like!

I'm Nominated!

2011-12-29T09:38:00.000+08:00

Here's an article about me in newspaper yesterday...

The interview and photo shoot was done last week at the newly-renovated Berita Harian office in Bangsar. During the interview I found out I'm one of the 20 shortlisted for Anugerah Bintang Popular's Pengacara TV Wanita Popular category! Surprise!!

Never in my wildest dream I thought I would ever be in the list along side the other amazing (more popular) hosts. I mean, seriously, little old me? I can bet a lifetime worth of brownies that I will not make it to the top 5. I'll be lucky if I were to make it to the top 15 even! Haha!

I'm not being modest. I'm just stating the reality. I know where I stand. A newbie host versus the awesomely-entertaining otai's with a gajillion fans. But to be in the list is already an honour. Thanks Berita Harian!

P/S: If you want to win that lifetime of brownies bet...go ahead! Buy BH, vote for me and send! :D

A Lil' Reminder For My Boy

2011-12-28T14:38:00.001+08:00

Dear Raees,

Hosting Bersamamu is a very humbling experience for mommy. I wish you could learn a thing or two from what mommy's been through..

Mommy had the chance to revisit Persatuan Sokongan Ibu & Anak Kurang Upaya (PSIAKU) Azwar in Gombak recently. It's just a single story corner lot house where moms and their children gather. The thing about their children is, they were born unwell (bedridden). Some may call them 'vegetable' because they cannot move by themselves, let alone feed or clean themselves. Their mommies have to do everything for them. They have to be treated like babies...for life.

Raees, meet Natasha. She's 6 years old and also one of the kids who are unwell. Here you see her leaning on her mommy..

They live in a flat on the second floor...and it doesn't have a lift. So her mommy carries her up and down 4 flight of stairs every single day! Did I tell you that Natasha is 33 kg? It's amazing that her mommy has been carrying her all these years! Although her mommy did mention that they fell at the stairs many times already.

You see, Natasha is one out of about 80 kids that are registered here since 2009. But until today, about 20 of them passed away already. Sad but true. These kids have short life expectancy, in other words, they don't live very long. While mommy was there the first time, one boy had seizure! Just because his mommy forgot to give him his medication that day.

I hope I can go back there and bring you along, Raees. You'll see the world in a bigger perspective. You'll learn to appreciate life and not sweat the small stuff. These kids would do anything to be in your position. Be thankful and don't forget to say Alhamdulillah for all that God has given you.

Love,
Mommy

Extraordinary Birthday Party

2011-12-14T12:02:00.000+08:00

Raees turned 2 in August. After postponing his birthday party so many times, we finally found the right date to invite family and close friends over to celebrate. 3 months too late but it's better late than never.

Theme this year was Angry Birds. Why? Because Raees is a huge Angry Birds fan and we can find Angry Birds merchandise just about anywhere nowadays. That made searching for party stuff a lot easier.

So the invitations were sent...

The 'Happy Birthday' banner was up...

The customized Angry Birds alphabet bunting (by TripletsPlusOne) was also up...

The birthday cake (by Beautiful Flavor) was ready...

I personally baked these cupcakes along with customized toppers by TripletsPlusOne, ready to be served...

The helium balloons were hovering at the living room...

More balloons were hung around and outside the house...

The food: baked pasta, shepherd's pie, brownies, mango custard tart (all by Pie Oh My), Angry Birds apam (by Nureimi), nuggets, fried rice and mee hoon were served. Not forgetting the BBQ corner all fired up as well...

All that's left to do was par-tay! Although it rained heavily in the afternoon, it stopped just before the guests arrived.

Due to some reason (which I will explain later), not many pictures were taken of the event. Sad but true. Thanks to my guests for some of the pictures below...

Thanks mommynadia for pictures of the food! I had customized Angry Birds food label thanks again to TripletsPlusOne. I also had some of these posters around the house...

In fact I had had 4 of them...

(click on the posters for a closer look)

My best friends from school

Ilhan and his gorgeous mom, Suraya Yeop Jr.

Noticed anything not quite right? Look at all the pictures again...

The birthday boy was no where in sight! Reason being: he was asleep throughout the party. That's right, he missed it! Noticed anything else? The father was missing too! He was napping by his side.

While both were snoozing, guests were enjoying the yummy food and the kids were happily playing. I was left alone to entertain the crowd. The party committee (read: Mer's siblings) were busy at the BBQ corner. Thus, not many pictures were taken.

I know some of you would be utterly mad with this situation - all the hard work in organizing a party and the 2 key people slept through it. But I kept my cool. Why? Coz Mer began feeling feverish that very morning and Raees was recovering from another stomach bug attack (bug = virus, not insect). It started about a week prior to the party and the doctor said he will recover within 4-5 days since it's a mild attack anyway. So I thought, he'll recover in time for the party!

I couldn't postpone the party any further because:

1. It's been postponed one too many times. 3 months after his actual birthday was the furthers we could tolerate. Any later, it will just seem weird.

2. The invitations were out.

3. All orders were in place - food, deco, etc.

4. It was just 2 weeks before my sister in law's wedding. Postponing it any later would clash with the wedding preparations.

So we went on with the party and that's how it turned out. He napped from 2.30-6pm. He woke up just as the last guest was leaving...

Not 100% well, just woke up and hungry = deadly combination. The attempt to cut the cake turned out this way...

He only calmed down after looking at the aftermath at the living room...

And began playing alone..sadly, he could've played with about 30 other kids just an hour before.

So that was the end of the Angry Birds party. Not exactly how I thought it would turn out to be but hey, we can't plan these things to happen, can we? Thanks to those who made it to the party and I apologize on the chain of events that led to the belated birthday boy's absence. I personally had a good time catching up with everyone. 3rd birthday party? Hmm, we'll see.

Lucky Number 8

2011-12-07T12:53:00.001+08:00

This is one story you thought you'd never hear..

I moved from Taman Tun Dr. Ismail to Bukit Jelutong in 2005. Our house was one of the first few to be built in the area while around us were just empty lands. It sure was quiet without neighbours nearby.

In 2008 our next door neighbour started building, much to our delight. But they took their time in building and finally completed construction in 2011. In the end, they decided to sell/rent it. So we are still neighbourless :( But something about their house that puzzles us..

We hear weird noises at night! Sounds on footsteps, knocking, screaming...

Kidding! Got you, didn't I? Hehe..it's actually their house number! We were number 8 and they were 85? Seriously? We've been lucky number 8 for the last six years. I thought, do these chinese neighbours want the ong number so bad that they simply changed their house number?

Didn't think too much about it and left it as it is.

We had the TM people over to install Unifi and then the puzzle pieces came together. According to them, house number 8 is still an empty land. We are actually house number 83! They couldn't install the high-speed broadband on the wrong address so we had to resubmit our application.

I was dumbfounded when I found out! 83?? All these years we've been missing a digit to our house number? Went to MBSA for an explanation and all they did was giggle and said,"there was a typing error."

WHAT???!

That's the DUMBEST mistake anyone could make! And they had the heart to giggle about it. Don't they know how much hassle it will be for us to change our mailing address? My wedding invitation card had house number 8 on it. What do I tell Raees when he grows up reading the card and asks why we were married at our neighbour's house?

The MBSA personnel sensed that we were gonna make a lot of noise about their screw up and was very efficient in clearing all matters pertaining to the house number.

I know this may sound silly, but I liked being in house number 8. Now that we are number 83, it's just...different.

Symptoms of A Breast Milk Addict

2011-12-02T10:24:00.000+08:00

1. Latches on 70% of the time when mommy is in sight

2. Wakes up every 1-3 hours at night to nurse (but sleeps though the night when mommy isn't around)

3. Latches on for an hour or more

4. Refuses to consume other types of milk

5. Breastfeeds exclusively at 27 months

6. Will only sleep while nursing (when mommy is available)

7. Could literally latch on throughout the night

8. Attempts 'self-service' anywhere, anytime (tug, pull, lift)

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All That Jazz

2011-11-29T08:51:00.000+08:00

Recently I produced a documentary for MagSeven titled 'Jazz For Our Soul'. The feature was mainly about jazz music enthusiasts - Imran Aiman the young saxophonist, Zailan Razak the well-established music director/world-class bassist/jazz guru and Danial his 12 year old son/superb drummer.

They come together as part of Jazz Community - a weekly gathering for jazz musicians to showcase their talents to the public (for free!).

I was shooting at Jazz Community Cyberjaya. One of the performers, a busker in fact, requested me to sing a song. I looked through his song book and found a song that I'm familiar with. Well, it may not be much of a jazz number but it's one of my favourites. Mind you, I'm no singer nor performer. Hence, I merely moved in place. Back and forth, light head banging...haha! Ah well, this is me giving Cranberries' Zombie a go...

Later at night we had Zailan's band to perform as climax of the show. While I was shooting with him and his son 2 days prior to the event, he had requested me to sing during Jazz Community. I had 2 songs in mind. But on the day of the event, he said he wasn't familiar with them. So on impulse I thought of a retro song that I liked (but usually requires a lot of practice before being able to pull it off nicely). I gambled with my song choice and sang I Will Survive 4 keys lower...

Professional singers would've danced through the whole song...but I'm no dancer. Not particularly satisfied with my performance but ah well, I survived it. And now I can say I've performed with one of Malaysia's best bassist! :)

So here's the full documentary that I did for MagSeven. I don't mean to carry my own basket (angkat bakul sendiri) but it's one of the most enjoyable stories I've done. Editing it was torturous though because I had 8 hours worth of visuals that I needed to cut down to 24 minutes (within 3 days!). But i completed the script within 2 hours only, mainly because there's not much scripting involved. Just a whole lotta music.

So here it is, Jazz For Our Soul.. I'm sure you'll enjoy it too :)

My Breastfeeding Journey

2011-11-17T10:56:00.001+08:00

OMG! I’ve been breastfeeding almost 2 1/4 years! Inever thought I would go on THIS long. Thinking back, I still remember beingvery clueless about breastfeeding. I didn’t prepare for it much and no one toldme to. All I did was buy a manual pump. I didn’t even have any breastfeedingattire to wear post delivery.

My mom didn’t breastfeed my siblings and me very long. It’smainly because she received free supply of formula from the company my dadworked with. So she didn’t pay much attention in my breastfeeding preparationeither.

But the moment I started breastfeeding, I didn’t stop. Alongthe way, I did a lot of reading about it and knew I was giving the best for mychild. I doubted my ability to exclusively breastfeed after I return to workand put a formula on standby. It remains unopened until today.

On the other hand, I am known as a very picky eater andhardly took any vegetables when I was growing up (heck, until my 20s even). This(could’ve) resulted in me being a very small sized kid, which got my momworried. At one point, she got my blood tested by a doctor to ensure I am notmalnourished (results came back OK).

Yes, I don’t eat as healthy as I should. I’m a big timesweet tooth. Gimme ice creams, cakes and chocolates anytime, I’ll take ‘em.Garden salad? I’ll pass. My favourite part in a buffet? The dessert table. Idon’t even step foot at the salad bar. You get the point.

Anyway, this got me thinking, if I’m not exactly a healthyeater, am I giving my child enough nourishments? Or if all the nourishments goto him, what’s left for me? After over 2 years of breastfeeding, I now realisewhat I could’ve done to make things a whole lot better for both my boy and me.

Running through the Dumex website, I found out that Mamil Mama is formulated with essential vitamins and minerals to help refill the body’s nutrient stores. So now I’m an expert in breastfeeding (chewah!), all I need is that extra boost to provide my next child the right and adequate amount of nutrients for him/her even when he/she is all grown up.

And NO, I’m not pregnant.

Talk The Talk

2011-10-24T15:29:00.001+08:00

I'm jealous.

I'm jealous every time I hear other toddlers talk. Because I don't get that from Raees. I know, I know, kids grow up at their own pace but I can't help feeling that way. Who wouldn't when your 2 year old has delayed speech?

Raees babbles but doesn't say much actual words, although at one time he did say a few. Now they're mainly sounds - nananak (asking for milk/food), nonono, tatata, papapa, didi (daddy). But one word he says often is Elma (Elmo). Once I forced him to say 'susu' when he was begging for milk but that didn't work. When he watches Sesame Street, he tends to imitate the tone, not the words.

Is it because I'm not at home most of the time? Is it because he's the only child? Is it because he doesn't socialise as much as he should? Is it because we don't talk to him enough?

The doctor said wait til he's 2 and a half years old and see if there's any progress in his speech. If not, we may need professional intervention. Please Raees, save mommy and daddy's pockets and say "Mummy!"

Before And After The Bug Attack

2011-10-20T08:57:00.000+08:00

I see Raees' bug attack as a blessing in disguise. It feels like all that vomit somehow flushed out 'unwanted residues' and his tummy is finally showing its full potential. Because of that also, Raees changed so much!

1. Appetite
Before: He didn't eat much. Very picky and takes small portions at a time.
After: He's been eating like there's no tomorrow! We must always have some food on standby because he will get hungry really quickly and when he does, he cries or looks for me to breastfeed. I never thought he could eat as much as he does now! Here's his sample menu for a day:

Breakfast: 2-3 pieces of bread, 2 rusk biscuits, banana, whole lotta cornflakes
Lunch / Dinner: Rice with chicken and vege, nasi tambah (1 or more portion)
Snacks: rusk biscuits, cornflakes, fruits

2. Self-feed
Before: Hardly feeds himself. Relies on us to hand feed him every time.
After: He can eat finger food by himself. Finally! :)

3. Sleep
Before: Usual bed time was at 12-1am. Woke up every 2-3 hours to breastfeed.
After: Sleeps as early as 9.30pm! However he still wakes up at night. Until I wean him, I must endure this a little longer I guess.

4. Formula
Before: Refused formula all together
After: Despite the initial protest, Raees eventually settled down with the formula when I was away for 3 days! Because of this significant progress, I have stopped pumping at work as I foresee there's no need to store EBM anymore. I only direct feed him now. Am I not afraid if my supply drops, you ask? Well, I see this as part of the very slow process of weaning.

In all, I would say he is a much happier boy now. With all that food he's consuming, I bet he's gonna gain all that weight again, insyaAllah :)

Not A Very Healthy Birthday

2011-10-19T11:10:00.000+08:00

I know, I know...I've been slacking, big time. Oh well, I'm here now, aren't I? :)

Raees celebrated his 2nd birthday on the 25th of August. But this time around we didn't celebrate or plan things as much as we did for his first birthday. Here's why...

1. Unwell

What a bummer to be sick on your birthday. But that's what happened. Raees is the kind who seldom falls sick but this time it just happened on his special day. His lost his appetite, had fever and infected tonsils, again. The last time this happened was when I was quarantine for chicken pox. If back then I didn't get to look after him, this time around I was with him the whole time. So much for a birthday..

2. What party?

I remember taking a whole week off from work to prepare for his first birthday party. Maybe that time work wasn't as demanding. But with my hectic schedule now, I don't have that luxury any more. Plus over the last few months, Raees' social skills wasn't as good. He hated crowded places and noise, including the birthday song. So I thought we should skip a party this year coz I have an image of him crying while people sing his happy birthday song.

However with the coming of age, he has shown tremendous improvement in recent weeks. When we had people over for Hari Raya, he was totally cool and mingled with the other kids amazingly. This got me thinking of a belated birthday party for him. Hmmm...

3. Stomach Bug, Free For All
So with a belated birthday party for my boy in mind, I thought we could celebrate together with Mer's and my birthday (2nd and 28th Sept respectively). I was shooting in Penang when I received a text message from Mer at 5 am saying Raees vomited every few minutes within an hour and they were at the hospital to get emergency treatment!! There was vomit all over my mom and Mer while getting to the hospital. Doctor said it could be food poisoning. But he wasn't purging though.

He returned to the hospital 3 days later because he hardly ate. This time the doctor said it seemed like a bug attack that targets the gut. He will recover after he does a major 'no.2'. True enough, he did so the next day and he was all good after that!

But that wasn't the end of it. Soon my mom, dad and Mer got the 'bug'. A few days later my brother, me and the maid got it too! Crazy infectious bug we had going around the house!

You'll never guess how the bug attack left an impact on Raees.... (to be continued)

* decided on cute and healthy pictures instead of the sickly ones, just because.

Money Matters, Really!

2011-09-06T19:43:00.001+08:00

Have you read? There’s RM1.1b worth of PTPTN loan that is unpaid! Glad to say I don’t contribute to that amount because I didn’t take loans during my MMU years. Phew! My parents had a bit of funds put aside that was enough to cover my foundation year. And for my degree, I didn’t have to worry as I received a scholarship.

My mom (especially) is very particular about savings – she made an effort to save up whenever possible. So I try my best to follow in her footsteps and save up the little money that I have left monthly by doing some investments.

One reason why we took our time to conceive Raees to begin with is because of our family and financial planning. When Mer and me got married, both our careers were taking off and we needed to further strengthen our financial (plus, my parents were out of the country – don’t want them to miss out on their very first grandchild right?).

When the time was right and the timing was perfect, Raees was born. I’ve been giving him a solid health foundation via breastfeeding him for 2 years (yes I’ve reached my target and so far going beyond it!) and soon to be on formula like Mamil Gold to continue strengthen his immunity.

Health – check. How about his future expenses?

Well, I made an effort to set up his own education fund when he was young as 6 months old. Talking about solid foundation, I’m amazed how Mamil Gold have thought so well for us as parents. They now are putting up ‘A Solid Foundation Contest’ with mechanics, with every purchase of Mamil Gold you will stand a chance to win WEEKLY, MONTHLY and GRAND PRIZE of MORE THAN RM600,000.

Hmm…Raees can have more than just 1 savings right? Maybe this is something you can look into too! Contest period starts from 1st September to 31st December. Now I have found an alternative solution for my boy’s education expenses.

iRaya With iPad

2011-09-05T00:52:00.000+08:00

Hey there! That's me down there...

...with my buddy, Raees. Yeah, I'm his trusted iPad 2.

Most of the apps in me are dedicated to him, thanks to his dad for downloading them. Raees has gotten a hang on handling me and figured out how each application works.

Screen shot

Since then I go where ever he does. For instance, I was there when he went out for the last iftar with the family...

I was there when they went searching for his raya attire...

I was also there when he (finally) got his haircut by his grandma on Hari Raya morning...

I figure you could pretty much guess why I'm always around. It's the most convenient way to make him sit still and keep him occupied for a period of time. His parents sure got a lot to thank me for!

Ah, here you go! A much neater and manageable hair especially for Hari Raya and a complete baju melayu to go with it too...

Taking family pictures used to be a breeze. It would usually go on for what...10 minutes to get a few shots? Well, not with a 2 year old in the picture! For this year's family Raya picture, I became part of the family (sort of).

Go green!

Of course I did get breaks once in a while. While he went off playing or seeking forgiveness...

But when ever his parents needed him to stay put, I came to the rescue! Usually his cousins join in the fun too. OK, now I feel like a babysitter...

As usual, Raees needs time to warm up each time we get to other people's houses. Here you see him clinging on his mommy for dear life...

And then I made my entrance and tadaa! He's all sociable!

His parents could even leave him behind to eat and he wouldn't even mind. And it's all because of me. Sometimes there are those kids who like to hog me, much to his dismay. That's when he practiced sharing...or blocking.

Notice his leg?

It has been quite an awesome Hari Raya so far and I believe I played a big role :)

Selamat Hari Raya Aidilfitri Maaf Zahir Batin from the rest of the family!

The Kids Of The Abandoned Surau

2011-08-22T15:43:00.006+08:00

Fasting month is the time to give and share with the less fortunate. That's why me and the Bersamamu team were invited to quite a number of break fast functions where donations were given to the TV3 Bersamamu fund.

The kids in welfare homes are among the busiest this month as the receive countless donations and invitations for break fast. My visit to welfare home in Klang for Singgah Sahur recently amazed me as the building was totally new, clean and in tiptop condition. Alhamdulillah those kids are in good hands.

However there's one welfare home in Taiping, Perak that isn't as lucky. A group of 17 boys call an abandoned surau their home. Their caretaker works doubly hard to make ends meet with the limited funds he has. Bersamamu decided to highlight this particular welfare home in hopes to help ease their burden especially with the upcoming Hari Raya.

I had fun being with the kids. They seem to like me more after I helped them with their math homework - my favourite subject btw. I was told they were very difficult to handle initially - stubborn, attitude, aggressive and not interested in school. Now, after a year they've mellowed down and became more obedient.

The youngest of them all is a 19 month old boy whom everyone calls, Adik. The first day with him, he seemed sad and didn't smile at all. But he was OK being carried around by anyone. The next day, I saw his true colours. He has beautiful smile and talks - A LOT!

He even knows the english terms for kucing and anjing. Clever boy! I guess being around 16 other big brothers all day helps in his speech.

One the last day of the shoot, the kids took a day off from school (to their excitement) and were brought to Ipoh for Raya shopping. They've been looking forward to it for quite some time already and some couldn't sleep the night before.

They don't go out like this often. If there weren't so many of them, I would've personally brought them around the place. They wanted to go to the top floor and look at TVs and other electronics. Maybe some other time, kids.

Catch this episode of Bersamamu this Wednesday, 24 August 2011, on TV3. Hopefully by highlighting their plight, more people will give a helping hand to give a better life for these kids.

One Panda Eye

2011-08-16T00:33:00.000+08:00

Last week I shot Bersamamu's special Hari Raya episode at Pengasih, the rehab. Since the shoot was conducted during and after break fast, I came home quite late.

As my brother fetched me from the office (Mer was outstation), he brought along a shocking news..Raees. Fell. From. His. Crib!

He took a late nap and was still napping during break fast. My mom had the baby monitor on as everyone went down to the kitchen to eat.

No one heard anything. Not even the maid who sat just beside the baby monitor downstairs. Suddenly there was a thump, followed by a loud cry from upstairs.

My mom ran up and saw him already sitting on the wooden floor crying his heart out. The left side of my baby's forehead was swollen. My mom used some ice to reduce the swelling and he stopped crying after 10 minutes.

Soon his left eye was swollen as well.

My poor, poor boy :(

I was on a lookout for fever and vomiting. Thank God he had neither.

After a day the bruise on his forehead got lighter but then spread to his eye.

Now he looks like he...
1. got punched in the eye
2. has smokey eye makeup on
3. is a cute half panda

It seems to change colour on a daily basis as it heals. Currently there's a bit of red and yellow on top of the blue-black.

Doesn't matter what colour his eye turns out to be, what matters most is he's back to his normal self.

Phew!!

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Mom-Host-Journalist Travels

2011-08-01T23:59:00.001+08:00

Gotta admit, my life has gone haywire ever since hosting Bersamamu. Don't get me wrong, I love my job. I truly do. But the schedule is very demanding for a mommy like me. I'm required to go outstation almost every week. Usually a one night trip. That by itself is challenging enough.

Picture taken during most recent Bersamamu shoot

Not forgetting I'm still producing MagSeven on a monthly basis. For those not in the know, MagSeven is a 30 minute English documentary aired on NTV7. It's comparable to Majalah 3.

Klebang, Melaka

The most recent MagSeven shoot

You may notice a decline in my blog updates lately. Let me share how my life has been over the last 2 weeks:

14-15 July: Melaka (MagSeven shoot)
17 July: Johore (TV3 event)
19 July: Melaka (MagSeven shoot)
21-22 July: Johore (Bersamamu shoot in the day, MagSeven editing at night)
24 July: Melaka (MagSeven shoot)
25-27 July: editing, scripting, finalising MagSeven episode (didn't sleep for 1 night)
28 July: Banting (Bersamamu shoot)

Soon after that I took a 5-day long weekend to keep my sanity in check and spend quality mommy-son time.

It's times like this I feel guilty for leaving Raees behind. Lucky thing my mom takes care of him whenever I'm not around. But I pity her sometimes, having not much time to do things she wants to do because all time and energy are on him.

There were times she mentioned about not having time to cook/clean, having muscle strain coz Raees wanted to be carried around and more. We have a maid but she concentrates on house work only. Even so, my mom doesn't leave it all to the maid.

I've reached a point where I'm considering sending Raees to a nursery. It could give my mom a break and good for his social skills too. No?

Raees will turn 2 at the end of this month and he's still very much a booby baby. He doesn't accept other milk at the moment. Once he was forced to drink fresh milk/formula, he ended up rejecting EBM too. Took him a while to get over it. So as I travel around, I still bring back EBM for my one and only.

Anyway, I won't be slowing down this fasting month. Shoots still go on as usual. This week, it's Perak. On the road yet again!

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Don’t Put That In Your Mouth!

2011-07-20T11:13:00.007+08:00

I remember telling myself how lucky I am that I do not have to worry about Raees putting things in his mouth. Even when he was younger, he never picked up things to taste. Not until now...

I don't know if he's premolars are coming out (how many premolars before they complete their baby teeth anyway?), but lately we have to really keep an eye on him in case he collects things from the floor. Always have to make sure the floor and carpets are clean and vacuumed too.

His favourite thing to 'taste' is his foam play mat (you know, the jigsaw-like numbers), particularly the number 6. Every time he's at the playroom, he just has to take out the little round yellow piece and bites it like a cookie.

Bacteria are everywhere and there's nothing we can do about it no matter how clean you think your house may be. When he's at the stage of eating stuff off the floor, man..it surely worries me. Thankfully Raees is blessed with good immune system and hopefully this will continue on even when he finally weans.

Of course a good formula will help with their body defense. Remember my post about when he turns 2? As I mentioned, Mamil Gold formula caught my attention and their increment of IMMUNOFORCE was scientifically proven to help maintain a good gut environment for the children. It’s also a no sucrose formula that helps support a child’s natural defenses so he can continue to explore the big wide world around him and reach his full potential in life!

We may not be able to protect our kids from harmful bacteria but with good immune system, they should be able to fend for themselves.

I also thank God that infant formulas are now being supplemented with DHA. Once Raees weans, his intake of natural DHA will definitely decrease. The new Mamil Gold has more than 5x DHA. So it’s formula to the rescue!

Blessed!

2011-07-06T09:58:00.002+08:00

A few months ago I was asked to submit any health-related reports that was aired in 2010 for the Health Ministry Media Awards. I had a few stories during my time at Majalah 3 but I felt the one that gave more impact was definitely the one on Maggot Therapy.

You see, it took about 4 years to make! Found out about it back in 2006 and completed about 75% shoot for MedikTV. We even stayed up til 1am to wait for the flies to lay eggs :P Unfortunately all the hardwork went down the drain because it was never aired. We had difficulty searching for a suitable patient that went for the treatment because it was a fairly new treatment in Malaysia that time.

Then in 2009 I followed up again as I found out a the treatment more widely used. I started shooting from scratch. I featured a person who has benefitted greatly from the treatment. I even followed the journey of a lady going through the treatment and seeing the miracle results.

I also included an animation in the story...something that we hardly do for a weekly programme like Majalah 3.

All the hard work paid off as it was received the Best Health TV Programme Award during the Health Ministry Health Award last Friday.

A picture with the Health Minister is a must...

Also present were fellow colleagues from TV9 and NTV7 news, plus Astro Awani's Dino Omar.

This is my third award from the Health Ministry since 2006. I'm grateful to be acknowledge. Another reason why I totally love my job. So blessed!

Another Visit To Taiping Zoo After 5 Years!

2011-06-23T13:57:00.001+08:00

During my MedikTV days, I did a special episode about veterinarians at Taiping Zoo. Very interesting stuff! Ah well, anything with animals is always enjoyable to work on.

Because I had such a good time 5 years ago, I decided to go back to Taiping Zoo last week to shoot an episode of MagSeven. This time the angle was more about the zookeepers. I spent 3 days there and had a great time being around lovely creatures.

We had the chance to go behind the scenes...where the animals are kept and cared for. We got to go really close to them too. The animals, like lions and tigers, take turns to be released at the open-concept display for half a day everyday. That's because some of them just can't get along with each other.

While I was there, a lion cub caught my attention.

I think it's about 1-2 months old and totally adorable! And then I was given the chance to hold it! I was so excited!

And get this..there were more than one! In fact, there were 4 lion cubs all together.

Those are my crew trying to get a hang of carrying the cub. They don't bite but their claws are quite sharp.

In a few months time there will be no way of carrying them this way anymore.

Photo opportunity aside, part of our shoot includes sedating a tiger with skin problem. The doctor took samples of the skin at the hospital for biopsy.

The veterinarian, Dr. Choy, seemed quite young. We got to talking and found out he is my age. After further chit chat, we discovered that we went to the same secondary school for 5 years!

He knows people I know and vise versa. But we didn't know each other. That shows how 'popular' I was at school, ei? Hehe! I was the quiet, timid one who went under the radar.

Anyway, before we left, get this..each one of us were given a cute little rabbit to bring home! I got a long-haired male.

And he is yet to be named. Any suggestions? :)

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Just Stay In Your Car!

2011-06-22T08:45:00.001+08:00

I was at the sound dub studio last week to do voice over for Bersamamu when our audio editor, Vijay, shared a freaky incident that happened to him that afternoon.

Vijay is a very tall and fit guy with a goatee. One look at him, no one would wanna mess with him. Apparently that isn't necessarily the case.

He was driving and stopped at the red light at the Bangsar slope. An Indian guy on a motorbike knocked on his window. He was about equal size and built as Vijay, dress like a foreman with grease all over his clothes.

He said in Tamil,"there's smoke coming out from your tyre.

Being tall, Vijay just peeked through his window and true enough there was smoke. But he also noticed the guy had an eye-mo sized bottle hidden in his hand and was squirting some kind of liquid to his tyre.

Realizing something fishy was gong on, he didn't get out of the car and told the man that he will look into it.

The man was trying to be helpful by saying,"I think your breaks are leaking. Do you have a jack? I can take a look."

Vijay said,"what's that in your hand?"

That was enough to make him flee and beat 3 red lights ahead!

Upon further inspection, he found out the guy squirted black oil to his breaks. When oil hits hot surface it will naturally produce smoke.

So I wonder, if people can attempt a scam on someone like Vijay, what about us girls? I believe some would panic at the sight of smoke and welcome any kind of helping hand. And then who knows what would happen?

Be extra cautious on the road, people. Always keep the doors locked and never get out of the car when a stranger approaches you even when there you experience technical problem. Wait for help to arrive or if possible, drive to a safer place.

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Not Your Average Model

2011-06-09T13:25:00.000+08:00

I received an invitation to Trudy & Teddy's Tea Party at Parkson, Alamanda Putrajaya. It was held last weekend and I was afraid how Raees would react at such an event. He has a history of crying his heart out when people cheer/clap and when there's loud music.

As we reached the venue, Raees took some time to warm up as I registered ourselves.

...and got us these badges.

You got that right! My boy, model no. 10!

You see, this tea party was more of a dress up party for kids. We were asked to choose anything from the Trudy & Teddy range worth RM300. How cool is that? :) The title that the participants were eyeing for was the 'best dressed kid'. So we were given an hour to mix and match the clothes available at the store accordingly.

It was difficult to choose, alright. There were so many choices! Each has that fine European touch to it. Raees helped...to arrange the hangers.

Raees seemed so calm and happy as I put the clothes on him...

Things were going just fine. Although Raees started exploring all the drawers at the place, he was quite cooperative as the salesperson and I dress him up.

He even did his own little catwalk at the store!

That's when I changed my mind about the grey corduroy vest and got him a navy blue knitted one instead.

The final look: a white cotton shirt with vest and 3/4 jeans, cropped black socks and black-brown shoes. The concept: cool university kid. Really nice! I loved it and totally satisfied with my choices :)

This was before we changed his socks

There were 10 participants. Being model no. 10, you know what that means, we were the last to go. Mer was already standing by at the front to get a nice shot of us. Meanwhile, Raees got restless and wanted to explore the other areas. He refused to stay in line as we wait for our turn to parade. He wasn't happy with the loud speakers either. I was struggling and sweating already.

Just 3 more people ahead of me when I realised...one of Raees' shoes was missing! I searched high and low for it while carrying him with one hand. I was really sweating out then. How could we possibly parade with one missing shoe?? I couldn't find it! I panicked and then asked one of the event committee to help me search for it. I thought, people won't steal ONE shoe right?

And just in time, I saw it nicely placed on the table.

I calmed myself after that but Raees didn't. He got more upset as we walked closer towards the stage. Closer to the speakers.

There was nothing I can do. The show must go on...

We really love the clothes and will definitely go back for more since I have my eye on a few other irresistible pieces ;)

I Have A Confession

2011-06-06T12:43:00.001+08:00

I'm a sucker for customer loyalty cards. I never noticed it until I recently organised my purse (to include 2 new cards that SOMEHOW made it's way to me.)

I emptied my purse and this was what I found..

I have a couple of those stamp cards too..you know, collect 10 stamps and get a free drink.

Surprisingly, I don't have a Mothercare card despite buying quite a lot of stuff from them. Maybe it's because I misplaced the receipts often. You know you need to spend RM800 in three months to be eligible for the card?

Sometimes they make things you wanna buy a lot cheaper if you're a member...

Sometimes the offer the card for free when you spend a certain amount...

Sometimes we are made to pay for the card but get vouchers worth so much...

Sometimes they just give it...

Sometimes the perks of being a member / card holder are just too good to ignore...

Between the time that picture was taken and now as I write this post...I got another new card! And there's no more space in my purse.

Too Manja? (Updated With Photos)

2011-06-03T16:48:00.004+08:00

Raees is less than three months away from his 2nd birthday! Time really does go on supersonic speed. But I often wonder if we're pampering him too much. That's because I see other kids (some younger than him) seem more independent.

Here's a few reasons why I think Raees is too pampered...

1. Sleep

I would be lucky if he sleeps for 4 hours straight. He still wakes up a few times for milk.

He usually falls asleep as we reach our destination

2. Eat

He doesn't eat on his own! Doesn't hold his own utensils either. If we do put food in his hand, it's not often he would put them in his mouth. It usually ends up on the floor. He doesn't even hold the bottle when drinking EBM. Instead he holds my mom's hands to make sure she doesn't let go of the bottle. Funny boy :)

3. Social Skills

Although he has shown improvement but he still isn't much of a people person. He still clings on to me for dear life. He still hates noise. His least favourite part of a party is the birthday song. And if he missed his nap time, it's waterworks all the way baby!

Very tragic cry at a party where everyone seems to be having fun

Despite it all, Raees also shows his mature side. Did you know my boy is neat? There has been many occasions where he keeps things where they belong. One evening as I came back from work, I had many things in my hands and didn't bother to put my shoes on the shoe rack. Raees voluntarily picked them up and put them there! I felt so proud! Gotta admit, sometimes I overlook this minor detail and leave my shoes around *shy*

There was a time I saw him sorting his toys according to colour before putting them back in its container. I think my very neat mom taught him well :)

Stranger Anxiety To The Max

2011-05-09T08:49:00.000+08:00

Being looked after by my mother in a house that is pretty much quiet with no other kids, made Raees somewhat allergic to crowd / loudness (shopping malls are an exception). Over the last few months, it just got worse.

He would cry his heart out as soon as we step into a crowded place. Usually people's houses for kenduri, parties and such. There have been a couple of times we couldn't mingle much and had to leave early because my boy was so cranky.

Recently we visited a family friend at the hospital. We were informed that there were many people there so we were prepared for the inevitable. We let Raees play at the corridor, while I went in to the room to greet people. He was happy as always with the amount of space he could explore.

Soon I invited him into the room. He stopped at the door and refused to budge. I held out my hand to him and he did the same. Since I didn't move, he came a few steps closer to reach out for my hand.

Although he was tricked, I managed to make him come into the room by himself.

One look at the people there...

The waterworks started...

When I put him down, he would grab my hand and attempt to pull me out of the room. Very anti-social!

So I thought this cannot go on. I have to do something to safe our social life. I decided to organize a playdate. I invited Thara over to my place with her very sporting, cool, calm and composed Aydein.

Raees was breastfeeding when they came over. Thara came close to greet him and, without letting me go, he started crying! A very tragic cry in fact. Aydein on the other hand had the what's-happening? look.

After a (long) while, Raees calmed down as Thara simply ignored him. The 2 boys started playing with the toys. Before you know it, Raees was slowly approaching Thara and took her iPhone off her hand! Amazing!

2 weeks later, I was ready for Raees' cries during Mer's sister's engagement. I even went into the house, walked pass relatives that were there early, told them not to acknowledge him and went straight to the back of the house.

To my surprise, he didn't cry! He made the unhappy face initially but no cry! He was very confident around people and daringly insisted on going to his favourite spot to play his toys where the crowd were seated.

Super cool boy! And just after 1 playdate. Awesome!

Thank God Raees didn't spoil the beautiful ceremony, Nor! Uh, and congrats on your engagement!

A relative from Kelantan was around for the engagement ceremony so the next day we decided to hang out with her a cousin's house. The house was full of people, kids and adults alike!

And again, Raees proved to be as calm as he could be. He loved seeing kids running and jumping around. He didn't do it himself though (not yet).

That day was the first time he came across this fruit from Kelantan called buah salak. The inside of the fruit is white in colour. When someone peeled the fruit and left half of it in the basket, Raees threw it away. I think it seemed like it didn't belong there. Yes, my boy like to sort now!

While he was playing, we gave him a buah salak. He took it and walked over to the basket and put it together with the other fruits. He knew where it belonged! I think my mom taught him well about cleanliness :)

Although most of the time he plays by himself, here he seemed to be showing off to the girl...

"Look I can bounce a ball with one hand. See!"

But the ultimate sign that my boy somewhat 'cured' his stranger anxiety was when he voluntarily hugged Mer's aunt! At first we thought he got the wrong person. Then he looked up, smiled at her and continued to hug a little longer. This was the first time they met!

The next day we went to my uncle's place and this time he was slightly cranky because he was forced to wake up as we got out of the car.

We were there to visit my new nephew (Raees' future gang). You may not see it from these pictures but there were quite a number of people there.

Raees wasn't cranky for long though. He started being friendly with my niece...

Even climbed on the table to play and do a little dance.

3 events, 3 days in a row and not even 1 scene. I guess the rest is history! I can finally bring him around in peace! Hooray!!

The Unsung Hero

2011-05-06T13:29:00.010+08:00

It was yet another sad, sad ending to the Bersamamu episode this week. It was about a good samaritan named Ong Kim Koon, better known as Akong by his grandchildren.

It was around midnight on 12 April 2011. He was on his way back after doing some charity and praying a temple in Genting with a friend. They came across an accident and selflessly, Ong came out to help the victims that were stuck in the car.

52-year-old Ong pulled Zainal out of the wreckage and put him on the divider. Ong was then about to pull out Zainal's wife when he was knocked down by the Toyota Estima driver who, apparently, was trying to drive out of the resultant traffic jam. Ong's friend had alerted the driver to stop. After the friend freed Ong, the driver sped off.

I went to Ong's house about 9 days after the incident. He has lost his right leg. He was still in the ICU and that day the doctors decided they had to amputate the other leg as well. I remember his wife saying she doesn't mind him being crippled as long as he is alive. She even talked about getting a wheelchair for him.

Everyone thought he was gonna survive. I was shocked to receive news of his demise the very next morning.

I dedicated Sheila Majid's Lagenda to the unsung hero because I feel the lyrics and the melody suits him perfectly...

Kaulah satu-satunya
Di antara berjuta
Insan teristimewa
Patah tak tumbuh lagi
Hilang belum berganti
Kerana kau tersendiri...

He definitely is one in a million.

Ong's family received a donation of RM1,300 from National Welfare Foundation and Ampang Social Welfare Department. Instead, they gave the money to the couple that Ong saved. They said that's what Ong would've done - to continue helping the injured couple who have to work to support their children.

What about the person who hit Ong? Khoo Kim Chuan, 47, was charged in court with careless and inconsiderate driving and, upon pleading guilty, was fined RM5,500 and had his driving licence “endorsed”. He never acknowledged Ong's family.

When He Turns 2

2011-05-05T00:20:00.006+08:00

Raees turned 20 months last week. I have to admit I can’t wait til he turns 2! Here are a few reasons why:

I will reach my target in breastfeeding
I can start weaning Raees (God knows how that’s gonna happen)
I can stop dragging along the pump to work – so one less bag for me to carry to the office and assignments
I can go for shoots / Karnival Jom Heboh without worrying about pumping schedule
Birthdays are just so much fun!

Since I’ve been giving only the best for Raees, I’ve started surveying around for formula. I know, I know..there’s 4 months to go but hey, good research is important, kan?

I’ve been overwhelmed by the various brands available in the market. A tip from many people is to do some ‘trial and error’ until you find the right one for your toddler.

So over the weekend I spent some time at the formula milk aisle for my research. One product that caught my attention was ‘Mamil Gold’ – maybe because it comes with a free lunch box. Yeah, I’m that observant when it comes to freebies. I also noticed that the promotion runs throughout the month of May. Good eye, ei? ;)

A lunchbox would definitely come in handy when Raees tapaus food from home as he attends playschool, another one of my plans for him when he reaches 2 (or maybe 2 and a half years old. We’ll see.) Oh, so many things to look forward to! Now I REALLY can’t wait for him to grow up. Imagine him carrying a lunchbox to school with his Elmo backpack. As he enters the school, he would turn around and wave bye2 to me. Aww..how cute is that?

OK, I can go on imagining 1001 things for my boy.

Anyway, as I studied Mamil Gold’s ingredients, I found out it contains Immunofortis. A mouthful, I know. I did my own research to find out what it means - it is a prebiotic mixture, or even simpler it’s food for good bacteria. It’s supposed to help support children’s natural immunity.
Raees has got strong immune system thanks to my milk. I wish to maintain this even after he is weaned. So I put this in my shortlist of possible formula for Raees ;)

Jamming On The Piano

2011-05-04T12:15:00.003+08:00

There was a time when I entertained Raees with the piano while he was still in my tummy. Haih..those were the times. Fast forward about 2 years later, we now play the piano together! So much fun.

Tonight, you all will get to see me doing my thing on the piano in Bersamamu! I know, I know...first singing and now this? I'm injecting some performing arts into the programme, kan? Ah well.. :)

This time I will be playing a song as a tribute to an unsung hero. What song you ask? Well, some of you may have figured it out from the promo that's aired over the past few days. If you still don't know...wait and see at 9.30 tonight!

Running in HD

2011-05-04T11:08:00.003+08:00

Remember how I said I loved running around the hotel lobby in the previous post? Well here you can see just how ecstatic I was! You can also see that funny walk I was telling you about...

One Night Away From Home

2011-05-03T15:24:00.005+08:00

This is a very delayed entry. Finally have the time to write about it...between playing and watching Sesame Street. Yeah, it's me, Raees!

The other day mommy and daddy celebrated their 5th anniversary. 2 months before that they planned big - to go on a 3 days 2 nights vacation with the whole extended family somewhere a few hours drive away from home.

Hmph! We can plan as advanced as we want but when it comes to the particular weekend, plans totally changed. Thanks to mommy and daddy being overload with work. So to compensate, we went somewhere less than an hour away from home...for just one night.

One night pun one nightlah. Anything out of the norm would do for me.

As soon as I stepped into the hotel room, I made sure the phone was working properly. Hey you never know!

Although this short getaway was to celebrate mommy and daddy's anniversary, as usual, more attention was given to me. They had activities lined up for me within the hotel compound. First on the list was the playroom. But before we even went there, I dozed off...

So we skipped the playroom and went straight to the pool in the evening. I get to play at the kiddy pool. Although the water was slightly more than a feet high, I had the urge to dive in. So the float was necessary.

That night the 3 of us had nice dinner by the lake...

Then mommy and daddy let me enjoy the wide open space at the hotel lobby. I walked and ran aimlessly..even did a funny walk. See, it doesn't take so much to keep me entertained.

It was getting late so I changed to my PJs and brushed my teeth (well mommy did all the work).

I was asleep around midnight.

The next morning I was up by 7 am. I was sleep deprived, I know. Somehow lately I like to wake up earlier than I should. Sometimes a bit too early. Anyway, because we planned to go for another round of swimming that morning, I didn't bathe and went down for breakfast in my PJs.

As we reached the coffee house, there were so many people! I don't like crowded places. Especially noisy places.

Daddy even let me watch Sesame Street on his laptop to keep me calm. Mommy on the other hand was having a great time. She has this thing for hotel buffet breakfast where she takes a little bit of everything. And this hotel buffet had so many choices! So it's one after another, nonstop eat, eat, eat saja my mommy (while feeding me too, of course).

Without any delay, we attacked the big people's pool this time. Notice that aunty playing with the ball alone behind us?

Maybe she was practicing for a show?

Aaaanyway, as we went back to our room, I was bathed, dressed up and then entertained myself with my favourite toy, the stack gears.

I have this habit of napping at the wrong time. This time as we were checking out of the hotel. Hey, remember...I was sleep deprived and went swimming. I had to recharge.

Before we left, took our one and only family picture.

Ain't the best because I wasn't in my best pose. Plus, my diaper was exposed. I demand a reshoot! This calls for another family vacation ;)

LOL!

2011-04-28T08:43:00.001+08:00

Laughters can be infectious. If you're having a bad day, fret not! Raees is ready to cheer you up. Check this out, people!

P/S: You can also see his teeth very clearly here. Premolars are out, but gigi taring are still hiding.

Harry Makes A Comeback!

2011-04-27T13:17:00.003+08:00

The fluffiest, fattest, most charming cat I have at home is macho kitty named Harry. This male cat has always been such gentleman with the other female cats at home, that happen to be his mom and sisters.

One day, he wondered around to the next door neighbour's house which is under construction. Our maid knew this and didn't make the effort to take him back coz she was 'shy' with the guys there. That was an unacceptable excuse! She is known to be quite friendly with guys and even hog on the phone with man (sadly she has that luxury). Even so, she could've just informed us and we could go over and take him back!

To make a long story short, Harry didn't come back :(

On 15 April 2011, about one month since Harry left, we lost another pet. Our goldfish, Talbot, which lived in our kitchen for 3 months.

But as fate would have it, that very same morning, the familiar but weak sound of Harry's meow was heard. He found his way back! Boy, he looked like a totally different cat!

Stinky, mulnurished and falling fur - but still our Harry!

He was bathed and fed. He ate like he had never had food before. Who knows where he went, what he went through and how he was treated.

As much as he tries to go close to his mom, Paris, he couldn't. She wasn't happy. Merajuk I guess. Such drama in that cat cage.

So I brought him to our vet over the weekend and told the doctor to do apa2 yang patut to get Harry back to his old self.

He has ear mites - a sign that he mixed around with stray cats. He was given a jab and we were told to seperate him from the others in order to avoid infection. Got him some supplements and he should be fat again in no time! Phew!

Now Harry has to stay in the cage for 2 weeks and all he has to do is sleep and eat. Ahh..good life, eh Harry? :)

Being Saloma

2011-04-25T13:19:00.005+08:00

For those who watched Bersamamu last week, thank you for watching! For those who missed it, well I'm not gonna share the whole thing now. But I will share one part which I initially dreaded watching but turned out OK-lah.

So here's me singing to millions of people *shy*

Is It Really This Hard For Everyone?

2011-04-21T08:08:00.001+08:00

It's times like these that I am considering delaying baby no.2 coz just handling my one and only boy proved to be very difficult. Here's the scenario:

Over the last few weeks Raees tends to wake up in the wee hours in the morning, have milk, toss and turn on the bed for 2-3 hours and then back to sleep. I have to keep an eye and hand on him coz he tends to go to the edge of the bed. He had his fair share of falling off the bed already.

When that happens (more often than not, it's on a work day) it naturally leaves me zombie-like in the day.

But today was more challenging. Raees didn't nap at all yesterday. As I got back from work, he had his fresh milk and easily dozed off just before 8pm. I thought this could be his new bedtime! (it's usually anytime between 11.30pm-12.30am.) I had signs of migraine last night so I was really thankful that Raees let me sleep early. Early pun not that early lah, 12 midnight jugak..after he woke up for milk and slept again.

All was good until 3 am today. Dia buat lagi!!

By 6.30am, I passed him to my mom. By 7am I was ready to go to work. He slept again just before I left. I have a shoot today and I hope the make up artist will do a good job to hide my zombie-look. Oh, headache's still there btw. Bye!

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone in the car on the way to work

Ayang's Story

2011-04-08T09:03:00.003+08:00

Those who missed the show and went searching for it would know that Bersamamu is not available online. Sad but true :( Fret not, it is available here!

Al-Fatihah Allahyarham Nur Hakim

2011-04-07T00:59:00.009+08:00

Now that my first episode of Bersamamu has aired, now you know the relevance of this picture that I posted earlier.

It was a very, very sad experience for me indeed. Even when I first reached the house, I was slightly teared up already. What I saw before me was a son very ill and a mother calling out his name with hopes he can somehow respond and be at ease knowing that his mother is by his side. I was surprised to see the mother being very calm and composed although her son was in such dire condition. If it were me, I would be crying nonstop. I guess she has already accepted the fact that she will be losing her son soon.

During his final moments, I was speechless as I couldn't believe what I was witnessing. My tears came flowing like waterfall as Hakim's parents mengucap to his ear over and over. And then he was gone... His mother said she saw smile on his face as he took his final breath. His 8-month battle with cancer finally came to an end.

I reached Perak that morning and left for KL that very night, after the funeral. When I said goodbye to the mother, she said,"I like watching WHI. I see you on TV. And now I get to meet you in person because of Hakim." Despite all she has been through, she was being very sweet.

For those who would like to donate to the family, here are the details:

Name: Norhamizah Ali
BSN Giro-i account number: 08 100 41 00008457 6

Weekends Shmeekends

2011-04-06T16:11:00.013+08:00

At times when we don't have plans on weekends but still feel like going out, our best bet is the nearby mall where Raees gets to play with his 3 favourite play area - the escalators, ramps and open space.

My, my..he is a handful. He cannot stop walking. Even if he's in his stroller, he wants to be on the move. So a day out with Raees is focused on entertaining him. I don't think we ever get the chance to go shopping with him around.

I feel like bringing Raees to the movies but I'm afraid of what might unfold in the cinema. Since he is able to sit still while watching Sesame Street at home, maybe we could try watching an animated movie? Rio perhaps? Look interesting. Hmm...is he ready? Or will we waste our tickets and a good movie?

One Round of ABC's and 123's

2011-04-05T14:33:00.005+08:00

It started with the ABC's...I pointed and sang the alphabet song to Raees. Since then he learnt to open his little book to the page with the alphabets, take my hand and bang it on the book. That's his sign for,"sing the alphabet song!"

Later on I did the same thing with the numbers. And now he couldn't get enough of the number song! As I sing, he goes around his crib and come back to demand for more! He's one of the few who couldn't get enough of my singing. Aww..my boy is very supportive of his mom's ordinary ke-laut voice :)

A New Journey Begins

2011-04-03T13:41:00.000+08:00

So it's official! :)

My first appearance as the host of Bersamamu will be aired this Wednesday, 6 April, at 9.30pm. This first episode of mine is also one of the most emotional episodes of Bersamamu EVER. Trust me, I cried like a baby.

So guys and girls, I need your support. Do check it out this Wednesday ok? :)

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

5 Years And More!

2011-04-02T14:34:00.000+08:00

It has been 5 years since 'aku terima nikah Irin Putri Binti Azmi...' was proclaimed by Mer.

People say the first 5 years is the probation period in a marriage where people have to learn to accept their spouse as they are - including their not entirely favourable attributes which may surface after being married. (you know what they say, masa dating semuanya indah)

I wouldn't say our marriage has been as perfect as a fairy tale. Any healthy marriage would have their ups and downs and we learn to get through it.

I'm eternally grateful that Mer is super understanding and supports my work 100%. Even if it means leaving him and Raees behind for days for assignments. He would say,"this is what the husband of a journalist/tv host has to go through." After so many years on the job, he never once complained about my work. Alhamdulillah..

Don't get me started about how good he is with Raees! I have a feeling my boy is gonna grow up being spoiled by his father. Well, maybe in another post. As of now, happy 5th anniversary to the love of my life, Mer :)

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Wig On My Boy

2011-04-01T07:20:00.001+08:00

Gotta admit, Raees doesn't have much hair. At times I wonder how he would look like with more hair though. So I don't just imagine it, I put a wig on my boy!

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April fool!

That's actually ME! That picture was taken when I was about Raees' age. I had really thick hair, kan? A bit like an Afro but with wavy instead of curly locks.

(bet you are scrolling up again)

Yes, I've said it before and I'll say it again. Raees is a mama's boy :)

* Comot after eating pasta with cream sauce.

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

3 Legs

2011-03-29T15:24:00.004+08:00

Woah! How long has it been since my last update? Way too long for my standards. I have a good reason for it...really!

Since 2009 I got myself involved in 2 programmes - hosting for WHI and reporting for Majalah 3 (now producing for MagSeven). Since I appear on WHI average once a week, I was still able to concentrate on my full-time job with Majalah 3/MagSeven.

Now, I've got my leg in another programme. No, not exactly transferred..added! Yes, I am currently juggling between 3 TV programmes. The additional one demands more of my time and effort.

Within one week, I've gone to Banting, Perak and Johor! In between my travelling, I also hosted WHI and finalized an episode of MagSeven. I've been given the trust to produce the show so it ain't easy to finalize an episode of a documentary, I tell you that. If you're wondering again, yes, all of the above took place in exactly a week.

Now about this new show I'm doing..it's a lil early to reveal just yet. What I can say is, the first episode will be aired on 6 April 2011. I've shot 3 episodes so far (again, in just 1 week) and it has been a life-changing experience for me. I'm so tempted to share with you all right now, but I'll wait til the time is right. Maybe this picture can give you a lil idea...

The 3-programme period will not go on forever though. The transition goes gradually and by mid April, I may be released from WHI. In the mean time, I have to ensure I get to juggle the 3 responsibilities put upon me. There are clashes already and a lot of changes in schedule had to be made. Despite the workload, I'm happy with the career progress I'm making. Alhamdulillah...

3-Mall Marathon

2011-03-09T17:50:00.007+08:00

The other day daddy came back early and dressed me up nicely to fetch mommy from work. Little did I know after that we were going on a marathon spanning 3 separate malls! Note, no strollers used throughout the day. I had the luxury of walking and running - 2 things I do best! We started off at The Curve and walked through Ikano to go to Ikea for dinner. We went through all the floors via escalators/travellators and lifts. We really explored the place. On our way, I found myself a neat ride...

For dinner, I shared the salmon with mommy but I was more interested in the side dish - long beans! Did you know that it is one of my favourite food of all time? People say the more long beans you eat, the taller you become. Mommy on the other hand isn't a big fan of them delicious beans. No wonder she is vertically challenged.

After dinner we continued exploring the 3 malls...again through all the floors. I walked all the way until I got a lil bit crazy when I saw the escalators. I couldn't resist them and go running to go on. There were many occasions where mommy waited at one spot while daddy brought me up and down the lovely escalators, just for the sake of it.

Although I walked a lot that day, there were no pictures taken of me in action on my own 2 feet. Why? Because I like to walk in the middle while holding both mommy's and daddy's hands. So they didn't have the chance to snap. But there were plenty of time to snap pictures while I was on the Excavator Zap!

I think we spent about 1 and 1/2 hours just walking aimlessly, going up and down and around the 3 malls...until I got really exhausted. I didn't even bother to wriggle myself down when we went on the escalator this time...

Off we went to the baby room where I had milk...and then everything went blank.

Yes, I was that tired! I didn't even wake up when mommy carried me...

...and went across the mall (in her heels) to our car that was located about 300 meters away.

I think she had cramps on her arms after carrying 12kg me. Well, that's her workout for the week!

It was a great family outing indeed. The simplest things can be so much fun for me, kan? :)

Confessions Of A Teenage Lady

2011-03-08T11:54:00.007+08:00

I feel like I have to share this particular issue that is very sensitive to me. No pictures will be included because just writing about it is difficult enough. But I want to. Don't know why. What am I rambling about? Teenage-hormone-blaring-skin.

I am one of those girls who's been battling with skin problem since puberty. It goes on and off. At times my skin may be flawless, at times it would be bad. Trust me, I've tried all the tricks in the book, so many different products and petua but if it decides to come out, there's nothing much I can do. I've always had oily skin. You can fry an egg with the amount of oil I produce.

Even my scalp gets oily real fast too. Despite using scalp oil control shampoo, I still need to wash my hair on a daily basis. What can I say, I'm just good at producing oil! Anyways, back to my skin. I didn't know how BAD was bad until recently when I had my worst breakout ever.

It all happened very suddenly when I had chicken pox. It was mainly hormone-driven because after the very bad breakout, I would get my period the following week. Being on TV, I had so much at stake. During the very bad times, not many close ups of me were taken during WHI as it seemed obvious on screen. This went on for about one and a half months before I decided I needed medical intervention.

The dermatologist was about to prescribe a medication that could guarantee problem-free skin within weeks but it is not suitable for pregnant/breastfeeding ladies. I could've decided to wean Raees and take the medication. As desperate as I may have been, I was not ready to wean my boy. So I was prescribed antibiotics instead, which made healing a little slower.

When treating skin problem, it gets bad before it gets better. The first month on antibiotic prescribed, it didn't seem to show any difference. No amount of make up was able to cover up what was going on at the surface of my skin. I had to hold on to my dignity and face the world as confident as possible.

By the 6th week, just in time for an important job, my skin showed vast improvement. Although the scars were still there, I could easily hide them with make up. Now 3 months on my treatment, I can safely say I am happy with my skin. Scars are almost gone. Although there are occasional minor breakouts, those are pretty much manageable.

I may not be struggling with weight, but God is fair. Nobody is perfect and there's always a kekurangan in each and every one of us. Now you know what mine is.

I know I said I'm not gonna post any pictures but I changed my mind. Here's an 'after' picture and you can keep on imagining how the 'before' looked like.

Introducing MagSeven

2011-03-03T17:03:00.001+08:00

Making documentaries gives me the ultimate satisfaction as journalist. I get to explore and indulge into certain topics in detail (rather than on the surface like news). It's more than just reporting. It involves story telling, like a movie but in reality.

During my 3 years with MedikTV, I became half a doctor as I learned about various health issues. I brought my experience to Majalah 3 and came up with a few health-related stories. That's the sweet thing about what I do. I have the opportunity to propose stories that are of my interest. Soon I also became a specialist in animal and military-related stories.

For 2011, I've been transfered to a new documentary called MagSeven. It is somewhat similar to Majalah 3 but MagSeven has a different target group - urban adult. The half hour english programme is purely documentary, without a host. Each episode will be produced by different producers. We have 5 producers in the team including myself - some of them with experience doing Majalah 3, Jejak Rasul and other core documentaries.

Oh wait, did I just mention that I am one of the producers? Hehe, yes! I've been given the responsibility to sit in the producer's seat for the first time! It is a promising sign for my career. What more, I will be producing the first episode of MagSeven. I was told by colleagues that it's suppose to set the benchmark. Oh, great...add more pressure to me, thanks! I also have to go on two morning talkshows this week to promote the show. The first episode will be aired this Sunday at 3.30pm on NTV7 (FYI, now that we are known as Primework Studios, we produce programmes for all TV channels, not just TV3.)

What is the first episode about, you ask? Well, the title is The Making Of The Champion Cat (cats, animals = my kinna thing). It's about how one cat lover would go to great lengths for the comfort of her cats and to win in cat competitions. You'll be amazed I tell ya! First class treatment all the way!

So please make a date with MagSeven this weekend and support my first ever self-produced programme. Meow! Thank you!

Poster and cat pictures credit to www.kittunkatz.com

The Amazing Mr. Mars

2011-03-03T12:00:00.000+08:00

It has been ages since I last wrote about music kan? Besides my karaoke that is :D

R&B is my kind of music. It began just after school when I fell in love with Boyz II Men's amazing harmony and the head-thumping base that goes with R&B music. I was happy to follow local acts like Innuendo, VE and Ruffedge that were influenced by the same international acts I like. Too bad they couldn't sustain in the local music industry.

Anyway, recently another international act totally caught my attention - Bruno Mars. It started with the song "Billionaire". I was more into it after watching the G lee version of that song. His single "Just The Way You Are" went into the gerenti-cair-if-Mer-sings-to-me list. Hehe!

He reminds me of the late MJ, the more current version.

Then one day on the way to work, a song played on the radio that just blew me away - "I'd catch a grenade for ya..." I kept wondering who the heck is this guy with the mad vocals? Waddaya know it was none other than Mr. Mars!

One day after putting Raees to sleep, I quietly went on YouTube to watch his video clip (I don't tune to MTV as often) and I came across this instead...

I got goosebumps listening to it! Seriously even if you're not a fan, after listening to this you might just be one!

I know this frust-menonggeng song as being upbeat and filled with 'anger'. But this version really teased its viewers. I was waiting for the point where the drums would come in and guitars will go blaring to portray the disappointment and anger associated with the song. But each time I thought that was coming, the song remained as subdued as possible. It totally changed the whole feel of the song - it seemed more sad rather than furious. What amazed me even more was Bruno Mars' mad vocals were as mad when he sings live!

From that point on, ladies and gentlemen, I was hooked. Got my hands on his debut album Doo-Wops & Hooligans, which has been playing on loop in the car and at work.

But wait a minute, the best is yet to come. I found out the man himself is coming to Malaysia in April!! His concert will be held around my wedding anniversary so I know what I want already, baby! (wait..that didn't sound right. not asking for a baby for my anniversary.) Yes, it will be a dream come true if I could attend Bruno Mars' concert (after not attending any concerts for the last...4 years? I think, I lost track.)

If I was blown away by the studio version of his songs and jaw-droppingly-impressed with his live performance as seen on YouTube, imagine what it would be like to see him perform in a live concert! Hey, mommies need time off from work and kids too, you know. It's just once in a blue moon :) Who knows when such opportunity will come again, kan?

Party Time!

2011-02-23T08:40:00.002+08:00

My company, Primeworks Studios, officially welcomed our new CEO, Ahmad Izham Omar.

I've been a fan of his work since his Positive Tone, Innuendo days. After that he became the COO of 8TV. Heck, the reason I submitted my resume to 8TV 7 years ago was because I wanted the chance to work with him (then TV3 hired me instead).

After all these years, I finally get my chance to work with that talented man!

Anyways, back to his welcome celebration. Being a bunch of outgoing people, we welcomed him the way Primemovers do best - a party!

Although I haven't had a proper conversation with him, I believe he is as funny as his tweets. Which CEO gives the peace sign and does the robot dance when his name is announced?
Our guest artist for the day, Faizal Tahir performed on the modest stage in the middle of our office. Amazing singer right there! Although Mr. CEO thinks his pitch lari.

I only had bread for lunch to save some space in my tummy for the party food. As expected, there were LOADS of food contributed by the different divisions in the company. Just look at my plate.
Thought of getting a little bit of everything but there were just too many to choose!

One thing's for sure, I couldn't resist the desserts. And there were more! I think got sugar high.

It's days like these that reminds me why I love my job :)

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

*updated with more pictures for your viewing pleasure, credit to Phyzha.

Finally Swimming Again

2011-02-22T14:15:00.005+08:00

Can you believe it, the last time Raees went swimming was June last year?? That was his first experience too. I remember how excited we were as we bought his swimming trunks and float. I also remember Raees' laughter and splashes in the water.

And that was it. I felt like we didn't do justice to the trunks and float. He only used it for just one occasion and for all you know he would outgrow them . So I pestered Mer to bring us to the place where I usually went swimming as a child - at my dad's golf club.

Since the club is in the middle of KL city and Mer being 'allergic' to traffic jams, he required a lot of pestering before we finally made our way (itu pun almost tak jadi, but my sheer determination won).

Besides the Olympic size pool, there's also a 4-ft pool and 2 baby pools. Being there brought back loads of memories of my childhood days. And to be able to bring Raees there is just great :)

I didn't plan to get myself wet from the neck up to save from the trouble of shampooing and reapplying make up. I even had my earrings on throughout the time. I didn't care that I didn't get to swim coz that day wasn't about me.

Raees still loves the pool as much as he did before. And now he's able to kick better, just like a swimmer alright!

After 15-20 minutes, he was obviously tired from the swim...

So into his dinosaur poncho towel he went!

Super cute, kan?

At the end of it Mer said, "This place is nice. We should've came here sooner!" I hate to say this but I told you so! Can't wait for our next swimming session :)

Walking In Giant Shoes

2011-02-16T14:55:00.002+08:00

I have a few of my own shoes but nothing beats walking in other people's footwear! At home I love borrowing Tok Wan's indoor slippers and walk/glide around the house in them as someone holds my hands.

When I'm at Tok Ma's house the other day, I found a nice pair of shoes belonging to my uncle that I couldn't resist trying on. Here I am trying to balance myself, legs wide apart...

They are heavier than Tok Wan's slippers. I attempted to walk in them and waddaya know, I can!!

Ooops, a bit sexy there *shy*

Buak Gapo?

2011-02-14T10:30:00.003+08:00

Meet my Uncle Ali. He is daddy's little brother. One of the funniest people I know (after daddy that is). Whenever I'm at Tok Ma's house, the language spoken sounds totally different than what I usually hear. Yes, they are proud to be Kelantanese.

Anyway, back to Uncle Ali. Recently he started blogging! Yeah, he finally decided to join me. But he does it his style. Here's a snippet from his blog, which he cleverly named 'Buak Gapo?'

"Kelik drumoh takdi, kejukkk kawe tgk atah mejo ado skotok buoh lima. siak ado angpau! tanyo ma, 'sapo wi ni ma?' ma jawak 'sapo lagi jire kito lahhh. angpau tu ali punyo' wahhhh, baik sengoti. tiak2 taung wi buoh ngan angpau. umo kawe doh 28, dapak lagi tuh. gebah idung raso mudo lagi..:P"

Do you understand the words that are coming out of that blog? Don't worry, he even made the effort to translate it to ordinary Malay language so you don't have to scratch your head anymore. He told me last night, "now people can learn Kelantan language from my blog" Very noble, isn't he? Maybe I can learn too. Imagine my attempt to say 'buak gapooo?'

So ch-ch-ch-check it out! http://buakgapo.blogspot.com/

Milk: Ups And Downs

2011-02-10T10:54:00.000+08:00

Have I mentioned that I almost ran out of milk? Can't recall if I told this story before but I'll just share anyway for all you breastfeeding mommas.

I'm not sure whether I did everything right or I'm just lucky to be able to still produce as much milk as I do now.

I don't pump as often as once every 3 hours because of a lot of factors. Usually it's between 4-5 hours. There were times when I would only be able to pump after 7-8 hours! For some people this would lead to a decrease in milk production. But for me, only if it goes on 4-5 days straight then it will show.

After a week out of the 10-days trip to Syria, my milk production was at its worse state. I would be happy if I got 2oz! But I never quit pumping although I came back to Malaysia with almost zero milk. I was already considering formula at this point.

Direct feeding despite milk shortage was difficult. I can tell Raees was frustrated as he bit me oh so often (the agony when he clench his teeth...ouch!).

But he didn't give up and neither did I. I drank 2 glasses of soy milk and 2 cups of choc oat drink per day to help stimulate milk production. After 3 days I got more than 2oz per pumping session. After a week I was back on track with an average of 4-5oz :)

This is where I think I'm lucky. While some people I know may struggle to increase their milk production, I can bounce back and recover with a little effort. Well each body have their own unique way of functioning. I guess mine decides to become a good milk factory. I'm thankful for that. Alhamdulillah :)

At almost 18 months young, Raees is very much a 'booby kid'. He usually falls asleep with milk (and a bit of patting). He still wakes up every 2-3 hours at night to feed. About 6 more months to go till I reach the target. Too early to think about weaning. I will worry about it when the time comes.

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Sesame Street Parties!

2011-02-07T13:24:00.013+08:00

Did you know that in the month of January I attended two of my buddies' birthday party and they both had the best theme in the whole wide world? Sesame Street! Yeahhh!

First was my buddy Hasif. Believe it or not, it was the first time we met! There were probably three occasions where we wanted to meet up before but something always came up. Well, better late than never right? Anyways, we were late for the party coz it was raining cats and dogs. Luckily we managed to get there before the party ended.

Some of the perks of coming late:

1) got more attention from the host of the party/birthday boy

2) there was no need to fight for my chance at the play area

3) it stopped raining

So I conquered the inflatable castle...

As the birthday boy came to join me in the castle, something else grabbed my attention.

BALLS! Lots and LOTS of balls!

I didn't care what was happening around me as I submerged myself in the pool filled with hundreds of colourful balls.

Then a cute gal joined me in the pool. We got along quite well. See how happy I made her? :)

Next was my buddy Ilhan's party. We met during his aqiqah when he was still a very tiny baby. Little did I know, he was already celebrating his first birthday!

I was quite shy at the party. I didn't mix around with others that much and cling on mommy most of the time.

And then I saw something familiar not far away. Something colourful moving around...

GOLDFISH! Just like Ernie and Bert's! Weee...I couldn't get my hands off them fish. I used to see them on TV everyday (during my daily dose of Sesame Street DVD sessions) and then there are real goldfish right in front of my eyes!

When it was time to take a photo with the birthday boy, I was attracted with the cute variety of signage that were on the table. I grabbed one that says 'Happy Birthday Ilhan!'...

...as a way to wish him, well..a happy birthday! That little fella was esthetic! See...

But because he was too cute, I got so geram and wanted to knock him with the signage instead!

Look how dramatic he got! Haha! Funny guy...I was just joking buddy!

Before we left, we were given these super cute personalized calendars as remembrance...

And not forgetting my very own GOLDFISH! Wee!

Up until today, the little goldfish swims around happily in the glass bowl in the kitchen. It's also mommy's first goldfish ever! We name it, Talbot, after Bert and Ernie's goldfish.

New Toy

2011-01-30T18:39:00.000+08:00

As some of you may know, I am no longer doing Majalah 3. I'm currently doing an English documentary now which will be aired in March. I've been given bigger responsibility with this programme, which I hope will be a stepping stone for me in the journalism line.

To start fresh with the new show and in line with the direction the company is taking, I got myself a new toy.

Behold...

Hey, I didn't get this just because my old laptop's LCD screen is broken ok? :P

I've been using editing software, Avid Media Composer, for about than 5 years now. With this new toy, I will be converting to Final Cut Pro. I may need some time to familiarise but it shouldn't be too difficult.

It's a little early to reveal details of the new show. But I sure will update y'all about it soon ;)

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Beyond Cruel

2011-01-25T16:26:00.006+08:00

We've seen in the media so very often about abandoned babies that are left to die by irresponsible, heartless people. I always thought, how could anyone do that? Despite the circumstances, how can they not see the beauty of God's creation as the tiny human being was brought into the world ? Don't they know many people would die to have a child of their own? And there they go just throwing one away. Who knows what went through their mind to treat a helpless baby like that. I guess some people are just...cruel.

But what I read in Utusan Online today just brought cruelty to a whole other level.

Mayat bayi dibunuh kejam ditemui dalam baldi
25/01/2011 4:06pm

SHAH ALAM 25 Jan. – Mayat seorang bayi perempuan yang baru lahir ditikam bertubi-tubi di badan, dimasukkan dalam beg kain sebelum disumbat dalam baldi di dalam tandas di sebuah rumah panjang Batu 4 1/2, Kampung Jawa di sini hari ini.
Ibu bayi malang itu, seorang warga Myanmar berusia awal 20-an yang merupakan suspek kejadian ditahan bagi membantu siasatan.
Mayat bayi malang itu ditemui sepasukan polis yang tiba di tempat kejadian kira-kira pukul 12 tengah hari selepas mendapat maklumat daripada orang awam. – Utusan

Just imagining it makes me sick. What did the newborn ever do to deserve this? This is beyond cruel. Probably psychotic even! Only mentally sick people would do such a thing!

It's just sad...very, very sad indeed :(

Walking The Terrain

2011-01-24T08:40:00.002+08:00

Know what makes this boy happy even without Elmo or playgrounds?

Walking.

Yes, this future BigWalk participant can walk for a long time and he won't seem tired at all. Remember how he ~~inspected~~ explored my office?

Since Raees has mastered walking and starting to run, he likes to explore challenging terrains i.e. on stones and ramps.

So where do we go for simple, convenient, free and fun time? To our nearby shopping mall! Just go up a few floors, away from heavy traffic and we got ourselves a ramp!

When he first discovered the ramp, he didn't let go of my hand. When he went up the ramp, he was curious with the new terrain. But when he turned around to go back down, he shrieked in delight as the force of gravity kicked in.

Now he is an expert and refuses to hold our hand.

If you hear a shriek the next time you're at that particular mall, just look around the ramps and you might see us there :)

Meeting Siti

2011-01-19T08:46:00.001+08:00

Remember the story about our DSLR camera? As promised, an appreciation letter was sent to the BK headquarters in Malaysia.

Little did I know, this letter was scanned and emailed to everyone within BK!

Since I was quarantined for chicken pox when the camera was returned, I didn't have the chance to meet the kind lady who found it, Siti Salamah. So recently we invited her to a nearby restaurant for a drink and a little chat.

Also with us was her fiance. Only then I knew they're getting married in a month time! Darah manis ok..

Raees was very well behaved throughout the time too. He was enjoying his toast while playing with the menu and occasionally smiling to the two of them.

On other note, I can't help but feel like I look erm...a bit 'healthy' in the picture above. Could all the food that I've been splurging on finally showing its dark side? Or is it the camera angle? Hmm...

11 Years Later...

2011-01-18T11:34:00.005+08:00

I had the pleasure of meeting up with my BFFs over the weekend. The fact that all seven of us managed to gather was just amazing as our schedules are not usually kind to us. Most of them brought along their family, someone brought along a "friend" and another came solo.

It was also the first time I met my friend's newborn son, Adam. It felt good holding a small baby but Raees didn't think so. He didn't seem to like the idea.

So he marked his territory (read: me) by claiming his milk.

Haih..how to plan for another baby like this?? More reason to take my time, right? Anyways, when it was time for our group photo, he couldn't care less. He didn't wanna let go so we went ahead with the group photo anyway.

Eventually we managed to snap a proper group picture (although one person was missing). Raees was really sleepy this time, hence the garang face.

The waterworks started as soon as the photography session was over. Then we know it was our cue to go home. Had a great time catching up with the girls! This was the 11 years post highschool gathering. What would 20 years post highschool gathering be like, I wonder?

Expressed!

2011-01-13T17:56:00.000+08:00

I'm currently in Kelantan doing a shoot for the new documentary I've been working on which is due to be aired in March.

Although it's just a day trip, I didn't forget my trusted pump, the PIS, which resulted in an overstuffed backpack.

I couldn't find time to pump earlier and finally had the chance at 5pm. If this happened a year ago, my boobs would've been engorged already. Now it doesn't happen as much. But my milk production isn't affected though. So I'm still one happy mama :)

Strangely Big Appetite

2011-01-07T17:00:00.002+08:00

Those who follow me on Twitter may realise that I tweet about food quite often. I get hungry quite fast and I eat like nobody's business sometimes. Here are a few examples:

Ordered pizza set meal for 4 pax but only 2 people dining
Finished off 4 sets of toast in one go
Had lunch twice within an hour - both rice base
Eat chocolates, cookies, cakes and ice-creams at any time of the day
I can go on and on eating home made garlic bread
Feel hungry 2 hours after any meal despite not doing much physical activities

I notice nowadays I can't go to shopping malls without buying something to munch. I work just next to a shopping mall and drop by every other day. Although the items I buy don't cost a bomb, I don't have much money left in my purse after a week or two.

I think the culprit to my strange appetite is breastfeeding. Did you know you can burn up to 600 calories a day just by breastfeeding alone? That's equivalent to a two-hour aerobic workout. Cool, eh? :)

10 Firsts Of 2010

2011-01-06T13:55:00.012+08:00

I hope it's not too late to wish everyone a very happy new year. 2010 was a very eventful year for me, in both career and parenting. The joy of witnessing Raees grow from a tiny baby to the big boy he is now while I enjoy the priviledge of travelling to beautiful places for work.

It was a year of many firsts and here are 10 more...

1. First Babywearing Experience

I discovered the joy of wearing my baby close to me after Raees grew too heavy for me to carry around the house for long periods of time. Thank God he loves to be worn! Since then I've been wearing him around from time to time. Now weighting 11.5kg, he's still wearable although I don't get to do it as often as he prefers to walk independently.

2. First Time Leaving My Boy

I know that working in this line (media) requires me to leave my baby behind for days. I'm grateful that my work schedule worked in my favour as it allowed me to prepare myself and Raees for the inevitable.

Being an exclusively breastfed baby, I started storing milk since Raees was just 1-month young and the stock was enough to feed my boy while I was away.

Since I have the luxury of arranging my own schedule while making sure I meet my deadline, I made sure Raees was eating solids before I left for my first outstation assignment.

It started off with a 3-day assignment to Sabah and soon a 9-day trip to New Zealand and 10-day trip to Syria...and my expressed breast milk was sufficient! Alhamdulillah :)

3. First Tower Jump

I was an instant adrenaline junkie as I stepped foot in New Zealand, the land of extreme sports. I had the chance to do a few scary - albeit fun - activities as I made a Majalah 3 story about my extreme experience.

Most unbelievable of all, I jumped a 200m tower. Only God knows how heart-stoppingly nervous I was at the platform. But knowing full well I must not chicken out (unless I wanna buy the 'I chickened out' t-shirt sold at the entrance), I braved myself. Half way through I was like,"hey this is not too bad!"

4. First Catwalk

I may not have the height nor the flair of a model, but I had the chance to walk down the runway with some of the country's top celebrities.

A few months later I walked the runway again with a more traditional touch wearing Salikin Sidek's beautiful songket kebaya for KL Fashion Week 2010.

5. First Dive

I've always wanted to take up scuba and explore the marine life up close. However my hubby Mer is utterly worried for my safety (I know, sweet!). I don't know how many times I tried to persuade him but to no avail. Then I was pregnant with Raees. That's when it suddenly hit him that we are all not getting any younger and considered the idea of taking up scuba himself! Talk about timing!

Anyway, not all was lost. I had a feel of diving although not at sea but in a giant aquarium in the middle of KL city. Being unlicensed, I was given a quick lesson before I diving. In the water, the instructor held on to my tank and guided me around the water (in other words, I was on auto pilot). I even had the chance to feed turtles! Simply amazing!

The highlight of the dive was when I rub shoulders with sand tiger sharks. Fret not, they were well fed. I'm one skinny human being anyway so they were not interested :P

6. First Time Releasing A Turtle

Some people may have release baby turtles to the sea before. It was the first for me a few months back. But who would've thought of releasing a 4-year-old turtle with a satellite ~~dish~~ tag on it? With the good people of Aquaria who also gave me my first diving experience that I will forever cherish, I also followed them closely as they released good old Cruise in Cherating, Pahang.

7. First Birthday

I discovered the joy of organizing my baby's first birthday! I know it's more about us parents than the child himself but it was fun, nevertheless. So one day when Raees is big enough to read this blog, he would know how much he had enjoyed his first birthday :)

8. First Camel Ride

The highlight of my Syria trip, I would say is the camel ride to the historic city of Palmyra. Those creatures are huge! I didn't bother adjusting my bumbum after almost losing balance when the camel went berserk because I was afraid of falling off. So I went through half the ride slightly senget :D

9. First Chicken Pox

Oh, who could forget the dreaded pox! My worse nightmare! The pox didn't bother me as much as I thought it would as it was very mild. But the fact that Raees was sick at the very same time made the whole experience just unbearable - he couldn't get his vaccination against the pox hence I was locked away in the guest room. He was cranky, crying/whining most of the time and lost his appetite. All the while, I could only listen :(

Me in quarantine - hiding under the comforter

10. First Horse Ride

I was in Kelantan recently for a shoot about cats. Little did I know, the cat owner also owns horses! So I was given the chance to ride it. Weee! Ever since I was a little girl I have always, ALWAYS wanted to ride a horse and even take up horse back riding. But my dad wouldn't allow me as he was afraid it might be dangerous for me (yes, I'm surrounded by protective loved ones).

But given the chance to ride recently was truly an amazing feeling! I was guided along the way and went riding for about half an hour, I think. Love it!

So there you have it, 10 wonderful firsts of 2010.

What does 2011 have in store for me? I do not know. What's my new year resolution? It's the same as any year - to go further in career and of course, to be a better mom. Another baby? Well, we'll see.

Fantastic 5ive

2011-01-04T14:20:00.007+08:00

I have been a cat lover ever since I could remember. There was hardly a time when I didn't have a cat in the house at any one time. I usually have 1 loyal house cat. But after getting married (before we had Raees), one thing lead to another, cats started breeding and we had a whole extended family of cats.

We gave away most of them and finally settled down with 6 cats, all spayed/neutered. Then Paris Jr. died a sudden death and we were left with 5.

Then Raees was born and the cats had to take the back seat. Yes, I haven't been paying much attention to them for so long. They even missed their annual vaccination and deworming.

I am in the midst of shooting a documentary about cats. Being around cat lovers who put so much effort in taking care of their kitties just hit me hard. I have been neglecting mine. Don't get me wrong, they are by no means left to fend themselves. They are well taken cared of by my maid. Just not much on my part, though.

So I decided I have to act fast. Most importantly, get them to the vet ASAP for that long overdue vaccination. I've never brought all 5 cats out together. I didn't have enough carriers or cages for them. A simple shoutout on twitter and I got myself an additional cage on loan for the day :)

The veterinarian, who is also a family friend, is located in Gombak. Mer babysit Raees while I brought the cats with my parents. 4 year old Paris, the queen of the cat house, gets the carrier all to herself while the rest shared cages.

I was most worried about 4 year old Leia. She's the most fragile, vulnerable of them all. About 3 years back, she suffered pneumonia and some other illness. She was warded for a week and it was a miracle she managed to pull through. But missing last year's vaccination could pretty much put her at risk.

My fears were confirmed. She has enlarged lymp nodes, a sign that her body is under attack. According to the doctor, it could even be a cronic disease such as cancer. She needs thorough examination at UPM to determine the problem.

Poor Leia! Now I feel really bad. She looks healthy. But who could've figured that her body is silently battling inside. I sure hope she will pull though whatever problem she has, just like she did before.

Raees Hearts Elmo

2010-12-30T15:18:00.002+08:00

Sometimes when I greet Raees as he wakes up in the morning, the first thing he would say is, "Elmooo." I would say to myself, "This cannot be. Got to correct this."

Me: No, this is mommy. Say mom...my?
Raees: Ma...mo
Me: Mom..my?
Raees: El...mo

Thanks to Mer, Raees is now hooked on that cute little red monster. Although that wasn't the intention at first. He initially wanted to introduce him to the fuzzy blue monster, Grover. But Raees got his attention more on Elmo.

So every day is Elmo day for my boy. We have a bunch of Sesame Street DVDs, but he has his favourites. Just look at his expressions...

Elmo surely helps keep him occupied when we parents have our hands full. Just strap him on the stroller with the DVD on and he's happy.

Also, it will definitely help with his vocabulary. He learnt 'Elmo' all by himself! But of course, we try to balance between TV time and play time.

Because of his fondness for that little monster, we got him a few Sesame Street books, toys and t-shirt. I'm plan to find a 'Tickle Me Elmo'. I remember they used to sell that many years ago. Is it still being sold now? I'm sure he'll love it and so will I! (this is the case of mak bapak yang lebih..hehe!)

The Ultimate Fun!

2010-12-30T13:02:00.006+08:00

Sorry I took so long to update about my ultimate fun experience that I mentioned before. Don't worry, here it is.

The day started with lunch. As kids eat free, I had the chicken fillet and vege. One of my favourite meals from this particular restaurant.

For desert, there was only one thing I wanted...

No I wasn't just resting my head, I was feeding from the side. Anyway, I was full from our big lunch that I gave my tummy a lil pat.

With all the energy stored in me, I had to let it all go. So I was brought to this place...

It was a huge indoor playing place for kids with loads and loads of balls! The balls even came down like fountain everytime you press the red button!

It was amazing! I was shouting in delite everytime I hear the familiar sound of the fountain of balls coming to life. At the same time, I walked around the place collecting and banging balls together.

I even socialised with the kids there, although sometimes the girls seem a bit possessive of the balls they have in their baskets.

I was there for over an hour. Before leaving, mommy suggested that I go down the big slide. So daddy brought me up the 'hill' to reach the top of the slide.

It was quite high alright, but as long as I was sitting on my daddy I was game for it. In fact, I'm not sure if daddy was actually allowed to be on the slide in the first place :P But nobody said anything.

On your mark, get set...GO!!

Oh my, that's how I looked like when I went down the slide? Haha! So funny!!

It was thrilling alright! But a whole lotta fun, nevertheless. So I went on it twice. Would've gone for the third time but we were still not certain whether daddy was allowed on the slide. So better go before they chase us out :P

It was definitely the funnest place I've been so far! It really did use up my energy :)

Fashion Sense: Britney Spears & Me

2010-12-29T13:34:00.006+08:00

I was reading a magazine as I was doing my hair when I came across this picture of Britney Spears and her son...

Which reminded me of my own son...

Spot something similar?

I never buy expensive designer clothes for Raees mainly because I don't do that myself and he will outgrow them in a blink of an eye. Plus, he wouldn't be able to appreciate it anyway. With cheeks like that, you don't have to splurge to look cute, right? ;)

Still Cracked

2010-12-28T15:03:00.000+08:00

You know what has been affecting my mood to blog right?

Financially, I'm not ready to fix it as there are other priorities. But don't worry, Raees will deliver the post as promised despite working with just half the screen.

Wait for it!

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Pump, Store & Board

2010-12-17T14:30:00.000+08:00

After my 10-day trip to Syria, I struggled to stock up on expressed breast milk (EBM) due to my very low milk production after the trip (which I managed to recover within a week, Alhamdulillah).

After 2 months plus, I have about 3-days worth of EBM in my freezer. Some were used during my chicken pox quarantine period, when I didn't manage to pump enough for Raees. Mind you, that time he was also sick and didn't eat much. So he demanded a lot of milk.

Anyway, I was away for a 3-day assignment in Johor this week and decided that I can't pump and throw like I usually do. If not, I will come back to an empty EBM storage which means trouble for my next assignment (scheduled next week).

So I brought along an extra hand luggage, the icebox.

I scheduled my shoot in JB in a way that allowed me to go back to the hotel in the afternoon to pump since I brought along the auto pump.

I couldn't find the luxury of pumping every 3 hours. I only managed to do so in the morning, afternoon, evening and night.

Anyhoo, my colleague has a friend who works at the hotel so he helped arrange for my milk to be stored at coffee house freezer.

I checked out as early as 5.30am to catch my flight back home and my milk was conveniently brought down to the lobby for me that very morning.

I managed to get a dozen packets of EBM in about 48 hours. Each about 4oz on average.

Good thing there was no problem carrying the milk along as hand luggage on domestic flight. So now my the EBM is restored! And I'm one happy mama :D

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Surprise Basket

2010-12-14T14:14:00.000+08:00

I could just tweet about this but it's just too nice not to share in my blog. After hosting WHI today I finally went to my desk and found a very nice surprise gift.

This has to be one of the nicest gifts I've received from a client. It's a basket of Crabtree & Evelyn! The card that came with it is super cute too!

Thank you MasKargo for the wonderful new year gift. It made my day! :')

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

The Big Bright Smile

2010-12-13T16:26:00.006+08:00

Usually when I go to people's houses or meet unfamiliar faces, I cry my heart out when they attempt to carry me. Yeah, I'm at the peak of my stranger anxiety phase. But actually, I'm very generous with smiles! Some people say it's a trait that I got from mommy. Anyways, wanna know when I'm generous?

When I'm home, fed and bathed, I'm usually in my best mood and you'll see me smiling away!

I'm quite a chatterbox too. I'll be babytalking all the way until I don't get something I want in which I will get cranky.

You know when I smile the most though? When I'm out! Yeah, as I sit on the stroller I will just smile to anyone who passes by me. I greet the waiters a lot too. Mainly because I want something from the menu. Kids eat free, kan?

Even when I'm sleep deprived, going out just makes me totally happy. If we were at home, I would probably be one angry boy already. But not when I'm outside. I gotta control macho, you know :D

But once I get to walk, I can't stop. When I'm at a spacious place where I can walk aimlessly, or do a little run...I'm in heaven!

Little did I know, there was some other place my parents were gonna bring me that would be the ultimate play destination for me. Where? Well, wait for the next post from me ok? :)

Crack!

2010-12-10T19:09:00.003+08:00

Sorry for the hiatus people. I've been wanting to update but my laptop screen is broken.

Raees was playing with it - repeatedly opening and closing. We were afraid he might get his fingers stuck in between so Mer put his hand there. He went on playing and as our eyes were focused on the TV, Raees shut the laptop with all his might and *crack*

I switched on the laptop and few lines went across it while half the screen was plain white. I'm afraid to find out the cost to repair the screen. Like it or not, I have to get it done anyway $$$

Laughing BIG

2010-11-29T11:54:00.003+08:00

I mentioned before that Raees has picked up quite a few new abilities after his fever. Well, here's another one that is bound to keep anyone smiling. This was when we were hanging out at the kitchen a couple of nights back and he decides to play peekaboo with us. Check out his BIG laugh too. Funny fella :)

An Evening At Sri Pentas

2010-11-26T11:43:00.000+08:00

I visited mommy at work again! If before this all I could do was be carried around or just sit in the stroller...

Now that I can walk...boy, I was on the move!

As I explored mommy's office, I flashed a dashing smile to everyone I met although I didn't let them carry me or stop me from walking.

Mommy was patiently following me from behind as I inspected the place.

Then she got tired of walking (I wonder why my mommy pancit although I was still full of energy), she let me sit with her and play with the computer.

Oh, I love computers alright! But this one is bulkier than the ones I usually see. Nevertheless, I banged the keyboard and threw the mouse just for the fun of it.

As I got restless, we were on the move again. This time mommy brought me downstairs and checked out the 'aquarium' where the radio people work.

I don't know how many kilometers I walked within the 2 hours I was there. But I wasn't tired. Mommy says I can enter the Big Walk. Hehe! Oh well, I'm sure she's also looking forward for the day I can run.

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

C Is For....Awww!

2010-11-25T14:23:00.002+08:00

Since Raees recovered from the recent fever and tonsil infection, he has mastered many new abilities! First he talks...a lot! Besides the usual babble, he's like an echo repeating what we say. So we gotta watch our mouth when we speak around him. Among his favourite words...

Hello
Bye bye (very anthusiastically, in fact)
Dah (when he's done with milk)
Oh nooo! (i say that a lot especially when he throws/drops stuff. hence, terlekat)
Uh-ohh! (when he throws things on purpose)
Jatuh (he has learned to use the word above and this one together)
Kasut
Jangan

And one that cools the pregnant mother's tummy (sejuk perut ibu mengandung)...

Allah (when he watches zikir on TV or when people recite the doa)

He also makes animal sounds too. His favourite is when we say,"C is for...Cat" and he will automatically go "awwww" (male cat :P) In fact he would go meowing before we get to say 'cat'.

Besides that he loves to do the London Bridge...

Never a dull moment with my Raees around :)

Hair With A Mind Of Its Own

2010-11-25T12:19:00.000+08:00

Raees wasn't born with thick hair. Even after a few months, his hair was still showing slight baldness. That's why I decided to let his hair grow as long as possible. I didn't even get his head shaved after aqiqah. I was even worried that too much was cut during the cukur jambul ceremony.

Months went by and his hair slowly showed progress. It has always been manageable...until it grew a lil too long! Raees' hair at the front and sides fall nicely, quite neat actually. But the back, OMG, has a mind of its own! They curl like nobody's business.

It also makes his head appear big(ger) as his hair curls outwards. Even when he scratched his head, his hair would get tangled between his fingers. As I play with his hair, I couldn't help doing this...

Now that's a little coconut tree on his head, unlike before.

Anyways, Mer and me decided that we will get his hair trimmed although we were not in a hurry. My mother on the other hand raised the idea a few times before coz she also couldn't stand looking at Raees' unruly hair. So one day I said, "OK lah, we'll give him a haircut."

The next day as I came back from work, waddaya know...

Me mama has got them long unruly curly locks trimmed!

Now Raees' hair is manageable again and no more tangles, although it doesn't feel as soft as before. Maybe coz that time there were some remnants of his newborn hair?

Good Deed Returned

2010-11-16T08:44:00.000+08:00

When I was at Dubai International Airport for transit on the way back from Syria, my friends and I had Burger King breakfast. Just as we were seated, we noticed a mobile phone on the table behind ours. We were quite sure the owner was gonna come back to get it, so we passed it to the BK staff.

True enough, about 15 minutes later an Indian guy came searching high and low around the table. We told him that the phone was given to the restaurant staff. It was a happy ending indeed.

When I was younger, I read a book about passing on a good deed. You know, if you do something good to this person, then the other person does a good deed for someone else. Then that someone else also passes on the good deed over to another person. You get what I mean right? It goes on and on, until eventually the whole world lives happily ever after. The end.

But in today's world, what are the odds of that happening, kan?

OK, I know my intro is quite long, so I'll get on with my story.

About two weeks ago, my little family and met Thara's little family over Burger King dinner. It was fun seeing Raees and Aydein socialising with each other as the mothers share toddler related stuff and the fathers share work things.

Aydein was quite quiet that day, just pointing to what he wants and eating away. Raees on the other hand was quite noisy and was being cheeky at times.Then he went walking around the restaurant with buddy Aydein. When it was time to go back, I had my handbag and Mer carried Raees. We double checked our table to ensure we didn't leave behind anything.

It was close to midnight when Mer wanted to snap a picture of Raees and realised the camera was not in the room. He went to the car to look for it...not there.

We retraced our steps...rewind...

The mothers and toddlers were at a closed area in BK as the boys walked about.

The fathers came over with our stuff, ready to go back...

Mer snapped pictures of us as we said our goodbyes...

Then Mer put down the camera, carried Raees and we walked out of the restaurant before doing a double check at our table.

Oh shoooot...as he put down the camera, neither of us picked it up!

Mer was devastated knowing very well the chances of finding it was almost zero. On the other hand, I kept an optimistic mind and said,"have faith that someone found it and will return it to us."

The very next morning we went to the restaurant and as Mer expected, the camera was no where to be found. I left my number and asked them to call me once they find it.

They never called :(

One week later while I was in quarantine for chicken pox, I received this message on Facebook...

OMG! OMG! OMG!

I called her instantly just to make sure. She works at BK and found the camera but didn't leave it at the restaurant because there's a possibility it might get lost. She didn't know how to return it to the owner until her mother noticed me from the pictures in the camera!

OMG! What are the odds of that happening??

The next day, Mer went over to BK and retrieved our precious camera from her. Alhamdulillah..it's back it our hands! He also met the manager, told him we will write a letter to their company to acknowledge the staff and officially thank them.

The moral of the story is, always take care of your valuable items and always do good to others as one day others will do good to you. Notice how one good deed at BK in Dubai was returned with another good deed at BK in Malaysia? ;)

So Near Yet So Far

2010-11-15T08:25:00.001+08:00

That's me hiding under the covers in the guest room where I've been since 5 Nov. As of today, I'm still there thanks to the mild chicken pox. Mild as it may seem, it takes forever for the very few spots to dry!

As I mentioned before, Raees wasn't in the best of health just after I began quarantine. He had fever which I feared could develop into chicken pox. A visit to his doctor confirmed that his tonsils were the problem. He had trouble eating and drinking for about 2 days, most probably because of his tonsils. His fever was on and off...

He was clingy and cranky most of the time til my mom had to wear the sling in the house to carry him around to keep him quiet. All the while I could only listen to his cries and whines and hope so badly that he will stop and continue laughing like he always had.

My mother and Mer had a difficult time with Raees, especially with me forced into isolation. Alhamdulillah, the antibiotics he took worked and he was fever-free a few days later. Just a bit of cough and runny nose, which the doctor said will go off by itself.

Because he was well, the doctor also said he could finally get his chicken pox vaccination! As soon as he got back from the jab, I was confident enough to be close to him. Imagine, I had to avoid him for a week! When I finally had him in my arms and look at him properly, he was noticibly thinner. In fact, his weight went below the 11kg mark. It used to reach 11.5kg.

Even with the vaccination, I still haven't started breastfeeding directly as there is one spot pretty close to where the milk resides that is still not totally dry. I'm still sleeping in the guest room downstairs and I don't know when I will be able to go back to work or whether I get to spend Hari Raya Haji like everyone else.

But what matters now is, I get to be with my boy again :)

In Isolation

2010-11-08T05:29:00.000+08:00

It is definitely frustrating hearing your child cry out loud but even more when you can't be there to comfort him. All you can do is listen and hope the crying stops soon.

That's what I'm going through now. No, I'm not on assignment somewhere. I'm just downstairs.

Ladies and gentlemen, my worse fears came through...I have chicken pox. For the first time in my life.

From what I read, the pox will happen after about 2 weeks of being in contact with the infected person. Well, it was exactly 2 weeks after being in the car with my brother that I saw the early sign of the pox.

The weird thing is, I saw some pimple-like spots before I had the temperature. I wasn't able to resist, so I popped one of em! Little did I know that very same night I felt feverish and started checking my body for spots. I found another fluid filled on my back but it wasn't itchy. I instantly went to the nearest clinic to confirm it.

It was the early sign of chicken pox so I was prescribed antiviral medication to help lessen the symptoms and hope it will stop all together.

It was probably 1am by the time I got back from the clinic. Raees was still awake, playing and waiting for milk to put himself to sleep. I didn't dare go near him although the doctor said he most probably have contracted it already. I kept my distance anyway and spent the night in the guest room downstairs. I pumped some milk before going to bed.

I couldn't sleep well that night. I even woke up at 6am when I heard Raees cry as Mer brought him down to get the milk in the fridge. I almost cried listening to his cry :( but the worse was yet to come.

In the day, it was nice listening to Raees laugh and play happily. Lucky thing his mood was OK despite me not being there with him. I was so tempted to join him in his play room just like how I do everyday. I had to resist.

One day later (or yesterday rather), Raees had the temperature. He didn't sleep well because of his stuffy nose. And tonight I was awaken by his cry which went on for about half an hour. Real loud. Not good at all.

Many things are going through my mind right now as I'm writing this at 5am. Did he fall? Does he have the spots? I'm pretty sure its because of his stuffy nose again. I would have to wait till morning comes to find out. If only i could go over to him and wrap him in my arms :(

I shall be visiting the doctor again to see if I can return to work today. But looking at the way things are, I doubt it. I still have spots, although not as many. The antiviral worked! But I only had enough for one day. So yesterday I saw a few new spots appearing but not full blown pox. Phew!

Now with Raees having a temperature, I have to prepare for the inevitable. The visit to his doctor in the morning hopefully will give him a head start in controlling the infection, if any. Because he too was in close contact with my brother just before he had his full blown pox.

*sigh*

It surely is a trying time for my family. I pray that everything will turn out fine soon enough.

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Sleep-Deprived Mom

2010-11-01T10:24:00.006+08:00

If you follow me on twitter, you may notice similar tweets for a few days already. It's all about Raees and his sleep. The past week hasn't been easy! He kept Mer and me awake in the middle of the night that really drained the energy out of us. Here are some of the tweets...

Can't take it anymore. Too sleepy. But @raees_aryan is wide awake.

My boy is still awake and wants to play! Penat nak kejar. Only Grover, Elmo and friends can get him to stay still.

Raeeeees..sleeplahhh..almost 130am and mommy has to work tmrw.

Layan sesame street. The only way to keep my boy from walking about in the middle of the night as he refuses to zzz.

After 2 sesame street DVDs, @raees_aryan is finally falling asleep! Man, tonight was really tough. 2 hrs to get to this point!

Been kept awake since 3 hrs ago by youknowwho...he's still awake btw. Tmrw dah la i will be on air Whi! Gonna look like crap..

As many are about to start their day, I make do with the next 2 hrs of sleep. Youknowwho still awake, passed to me mama already. Gnite all..

Sleep deprived :( someone woke up at 230am and finally slept at 8am.

again, i've been forced to wake up at 4am coz of my boy. this time, migrain attack at the same time. why oh why don't you wanna sleep?

as far as i remember, out of 4 nights raees woke up in the middle of the night 3 times and stayed awake til morning

But when the weekend came, it was a totally different story. Although Raees slept around 12-1am, he had 11-12 hours of sleep!

Yeah raees n me just woke up :D RT @munirahpunye such a nice cooling saturday morning. im sure lotsa ppl take the opportunity to be in bed ;). i cant afford to do so unfortunately

Wanna get out of bed but my boy is leaning on me, sleeping so comfortably. So I'll just lie down a lil longer. Hello sweet Sunday the 31st!

For the last 1 week, @raees_aryan slept properly only when I don't work the next day. I'm suppose to sleep in now but can't..

And today, as the new work day begins..so did the sleep issues.

Melayan raees who is as energised as an energizer bunny at 130am. Thanks to the half hour nap in the car tonight. Apa lagi...elmooooo!

This almost always happens when I have to work in the morning. Aaaaargh!

Almost 3am and still trying to get @raees_aryan to sleep! And it's Monday. Work awaits..

Having just learn how to walk, he is prone to accidents. Being sleepy parents, we had to find a way to get him to stay put. Hence, Sesame Street and the stroller. Who knew you would have sleepless nights even when your child has reached toddlerhood?

Baby Head Gear

2010-10-26T13:49:00.003+08:00

Are we going too far in the paranoia department is we have this on our child everytime he plays?
It sure gives parents a piece of mind especially when your toddler is still holding the 'L' or 'P' license in walking. Raees has had his fair share of stumbles, trips and falls. Nothing serious though..phew!

Personally, I think it's a bit too much. It's good to protect our child, no doubt about that. But to have a head gear on while playing indoors is like wearing a helmet in the car. I wouldn't mind having them on Raees when he sleeps on the bed if only it's comfortable enough. But it doesn't seem so. The small ears sticking out from the head gear are pretty cute though :)

Anyways, that's my view. Would you consider this for your child?

I LOVE KIDS!

2010-10-26T10:16:00.001+08:00

Last week I spent about 2 hours at Brighton School House in Damansara Heights. Just going there reminded me of my own preschool years, since I went to a school nearby. But the environment was totally different than how I remember my kindergarten days were.

If my preschool was very much classroom, student-teacher oriented, this preschool was the opposite. The kids were in small groups as they sing and read with the aunties. Since the school accepts children as young as 2, some of them looked as big as Raees! They seemed happy to be with their friends and independent too. I was impressed!

I was there by invitation to give a talk about hygiene. It took me many days to figure out how I was gonna go about it, afraid that those kids would be the passive kind. Once I was there, the headmistress said something that washed away my worries. She said,"these kids are outspoken and they basically know how to take care of their cleanliness. You could throw any question at them and they will answer."

True enough, before the session even started, a bunch of girls came up to me and told me how they dressed up as princesses with a pretty pink dress.

When I asked who was the prettiest princess, all of them started raising their hand, jumped around me and shouted,"me! me! me!" Awww...can't get any cuter than that! Raees, do you want a sister? :D

During the talk, the headmistress introduced me along with two other people. The others talked a little bit on their part and I was the final one to go.

Since kids have short attention span, I tried to make it as iteractive as possible. I started off with the superhero-baddies approach (thanks to glam mama Adriana for the suggestion) where the germs are the bad guys and they can become superheroes with the help of the soap to eliminate germs.

While I was at the topic of superheroes, I asked them who their favourite was. They went crazy! I heard 'Transformers' from the boys but most interesting of all I heard one girl say 'Hello Kitty'.

Since the tagline of the sponsor of the day was "Bathtime is Funtime" I told them that bath is fun coz you get to play with lots of bubbles from the soap and shampoo! At the same time I had to explain how to ensure they are thoroughly clean. Instead of listing down the parts of the body they have to wash, I asked them instead. They ended up telling me! Of course I added to that, like behind the ears, between the fingers etc.

I wasn't prepared at all for this little chat with the kids coz I really didn't know what to expect. But the kids were amazing and things just came naturally to me. Did I mention how cute they were?

Then the kids performed a dance for us. They danced to a mandarin song (about body parts) and a Shakira song (forgot the name of the song). Super cute!!!!
All kids were given a goodie bag each filled with products from the sponsor. I got some myself, well mainly for Raees :)

Before I end, this is my 500th post!! Happy half a thousand posts to my blog! May it continue to florish until it reaches the 1000 mark :D

Home Under The Bridge

2010-10-25T17:08:00.003+08:00

Dear Raees,

Did you know that there are people in KL who don't have any house to go home to? They don't become homeless by choice, of course. But life hasn't been easy for them that they cannot afford to stay in a nice house with a roof under their head.

Mommy was reading today's news when I came across one article that really strucked me hard. A homeless family with a child as young as you! They've been staying there for almost half a year already!

While you have a nice comfortable crib to sleep in with the aircond and fan since the day you were born, that little girl was staying under the bridge with her family since she could hardly crawl! While you had more than enough toys to play with and watch your favourite Sesame Street DVDs on the flat screen TV, that little girl didn't have any of that luxury. Who knows what her favourite toys are, or if she has any. To make matters worse, she isn't at the best of health.

Thank God someone out there is generous enough to offer a house for them to live in...

My point is, Raees, always remember to be thankful for everything that you have around you. It may not seem like a big deal to you but it sure is something huge for the less fortunate kids, like that little girl.

Love,
Mommy

Pock pock pock!

2010-10-22T16:26:00.005+08:00

Here's something interesting that I would like to share with you. In my family, none of my siblings have had chicken pox. People say everyone should get it once in their life time, but I didn't believe them. Just then, my brother (who is in his mid thirties) was diagnosed with the horribly contagious disease! (and I was in the same car as him that very morning...eek!)

My brother (at the other end of the table) prior to the pox

I freaked out when I heard the news. Not just for myself, but Raees too! His immunization jab is due in November, so he's not safe from it yet. How is he gonna run away from it with us living in the same house? Despite ensuring that my big brother stays put in his room, face it, the virus could easily spread especially when it's drying out. Call me paranoid, but I've started Googling about breastfeeding mother with chicken pox/breastfeeding child with chicken pox.

I can't imagine having the spots on this cute chubby little face...

I pray that my immune system will continue to thrive and my breast milk will help protect Raees from the pox. Aminnnnn...

I Wonder...

2010-10-15T12:53:00.004+08:00

I've been a good boy! Don't believe me? Ask daddy, tok mama or tok wan. They would know better because they have been taking good care of me while mommy was away for many days. Just look at my angelic face...

For 10 days, I didn't cause any problems whatsoever. I was being at my best behaviour, you know. Believe it or not, I slept through the night for most nights. That's something I don't do when mommy's around (since I can get my milk anytime I want, as often as I want).

In the car, I'm usually at the back seat with mommy. When she wasn't not around, I had the chance to sit up front right beside daddy as he drove! Being able to sit front-facing sure is a whole lot more fun. I was mesmerized by the sight of many2 lights before me.

Did I tell you that my new favourite food is bread? Now I can eat upto 5 slices a day! In fact, I can eat 2 slices in one go. I don't even need to put anything on it. It's so good you can even eat it on its own!

Now the most important of all, the milk. I'm so glad there was enough mommy's milk for me! If before this I used to have problems accepting the bottle, now not anymore. I cry FOR the bottle, not because of the bottle anymore.

I didn't even waste an ounce of milk too. I enjoyed every drop...slurp!

So one day, I went for a drive with daddy and to my surprise, there she was! My mommy's back! I was still stunned this time, trying to digest and register the situation...

But when she lifted me, gave me kisses after kisses after kisses and a BIG hug, I was so happeeeee!

I wonder where she went? She said I'll be able to see her journey on TV this Saturday night at 9pm. I look forward to it, mommy!

Party DIYs

2010-10-08T23:59:00.003+08:00

Someone asked how I made the party favours a.k.a. blocks. Well, here's how it looks like before being cut out from the cardboard...

In case you didn't notice, when you stick them together it spells ONE and the number 1 is positioned at the front of the block.

Here's the guest book cover which was printed on a yellow paper. I can't help feeling like this party has a 1Malaysia touch to it. What do you think :)

And here's the invitation card that I sent via email and FB to the invited guests...

Just one of those things I like doing when I put my mind to it :)

Raees' 1st Birthday Party

2010-10-07T23:38:00.013+08:00

The thing about me is, when I put my mind into something, I go all out to do it. With Raees' birthday party, I was all fired up to give all my effort to make sure the event turns out nice. He may be just a year old and hardly cares about birthdays now, but everyone knows the first birthday is more about the parents 'surviving' the first year, so to speak.

The theme of the party was 'BLOCKS'. I started my hard work with the blocks a.k.a. party door gift which I spent many, many hours preparing from scratch. Despite taking loads of pictures, I'm frustrated that I didn't take a picture of the finished product! It had a blue ribbon around it :)

The night before the party, me and my family spent some time decorating the house.

The entrance...

The reception table...

You may notice a 'Did You Know' frame there. If you can't read clearly, it says,"25 August is Woman's Day. I was born on that day in 2009!" I had a few more 'Did You Know' frames around the house, just so the guests would learn something about my boy.

Well, this one wasn't so much about my boy but more about Mer and me..

This party was actually a quadruple celebration: Hari Raya, Raees', Mer's and my birthday. But I didn't go around saying that, of course. Why? It was more for Raees :)

What's a party without balloons, right? Knowing how Raees just loves balloons, I had a lot of em around the house. The living room ceiling...

The stairs..

I (or rather, my mother in law) even decorated the void area with some party streamers. Turns out decorating with the streamers was not as easy as it seems.

The living room furniture were rearranged to make way for Raees' toys for the kids to play...

At the right hand corner of the room is a digital photoframe playing pictures of Raees from birth til toddlerhood, accompanied by a loop of songs from Sesame Street.

The banner was put up...

And we are ready to party!

That afternoon as Raees was taking his nap, it was raining cats and dogs. As the guests started coming around 3-ish, the rain has subsided and Raees was awake, fresh and ready to meet his many, many friends that were coming.

Reception/Photo area

Kids flooded the living room that was filled with toys...

The game room which is equipped with Nintendo Wii was a hit with the bigger kids...

Well, kids and adults alike...

Since inside the house was very much birthday party looking, outside was more open house-y...

We also had football at the garden. However because of the initial rain, kids hardly went outside the house. So the goal posts were under utilised that day.

Since this party was suppose to celebrate our little family's birthdays, I wanted each of us to have a cake, doesn't matter big or small.

Mer isn't much of a cake person so I suggested that he get a birthday sticky rice a.k.a. pulut...

Made and decorated by my mother

For me was Tiramisu (unfortunately no individual picture taken of it coz it arrived quite late and I was already busy entertaining guests).

For Raees, well I was very specific about the look and feel of Raees' cake. I got my talented cousin to realise it for me and she didn't let me down. Quote my cousin,"It's the most difficult cake I've ever done!"

I only saw the cake that morning and I was surprise to see how big it was! Best thing is, it was considered as Raees' birthday gift. Thank you, Kak Juih :)

Here's the dining table with the 2 birthday cakes + 1 birthday pulut with my childhood friends Munirah, Alia and Heydeq gossiping at the other end...

Then came the cake cutting ceremony. As it was the first time Raees had people singing for him, he seemed quite puzzled as if wondering "what's with all these people?" Hehe!

Since I was leaving for Syria that very night, I took charge to 'help' Raees upwrap the presents as soon as the guests left.

Raees sure had a lot of fun trying out his new toys!

All the hard work paid off. Raees enjoyed it, I definitely had a great time and the guests seemed happy. Thank you to those who came and made the party that much livelier :)

Oh yeahhh!

I'm Coming Home!

2010-10-04T16:11:00.000+08:00

View of Damascus from my hotel balcony...

I'm leaving Syria today! It has been a good 10 days but nothing beats going home to my lovely family.

My journey around the country:
Damascus - Aleppo - Latakia - Palmyra - Damascus

Beautiful sights and amazing shopping experience! Thank you for having us ;)

Goodbye, Syria!

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Another Hello From Syria!

2010-10-01T14:03:00.000+08:00

The view from the third hotel I stay in Syria, this time in Palmyra...

Beyond the gates is just land full of sand. I was at a historical site in the desert the whole day yesterday. The wind was blowing which brought sand into my eyes. I came back with sand sticking on my face and some went into my nose and throat.

Uh, I also had a camel ride yesterday. Such an amazing experience though at times quite scary when my camel freaked out.

Will try to post more snippits of my trip whenever I have the chance ;)

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

The Party From Another 1-Year-Old's View

2010-09-30T01:16:00.000+08:00

I may not be able to write about Raees' birthday party from here but do check out this entry by fellow blogger Aydein, (Thara's boy) at http://tharasofian.blogspot.com/2010/09/very-merry-birthday.html

I can't access that blog or even mine from this country. Somehow blogspot is blocked, so is Facebook. I wonder why..

So I haven't read his entry but I'm sure it's a good one ;) Thanks for coming Aydein!

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Hello From Syria!

2010-09-27T23:53:00.002+08:00

My journey from KLIA to finally settle down at the hotel took about 24 hours! Crazy! But I saw many interesting sights along the way.

Cantik kan? Very hot too! Bet I'll be tan when I get back.

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Party & Run

2010-09-25T21:54:00.001+08:00

Can't help feeling like I'm doing a hit and run. I threw Raees a birthday party and at the end of the day I leave him behind as I make my way to Syria for 10 days.

You would have to wait for a delayed entry on his party as I will only have time to write about it when I get back.

I will be leaving for the airport in about an hours time. Right now I'm feeding Raees for the night. Looks like he is tired from the party and might be going to sleep very soon.

Be a good boy, Raees. I'll see you when I get back. I'm sure by then you will be walking way better with less stumble. Can't wait :) Mommy loves you darling!

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

DIY Blocks

2010-09-25T17:00:00.000+08:00

I never knew you can make your own blocks. You know, the kind we kids like to stack, throw and destroy? Well, mommy sure had her hands full making them from scratch. Design and printing wasn't so bad. But when it came to cutting it out from the cardboard, well that kept her occupied for so many hours!

Lucky thing she was on hari raya break so she had the whole week to concentrate on it, while taking care of me. She was hard at work when I'm asleep or when someone else is around to look after me.

I don't know how long she spent cutting on the floor. In the room...

Even by the sliding door for some daylight...

Then a few more hours of folding and sticking them together. Once it was all done, she did what blocks are meant for..she stacked them!

Although it looked pretty much done, she said they are not entirely complete yet. What else mommy?? I wonder why she went through all the trouble?

High Time For A New Look

2010-09-24T07:57:00.001+08:00

As I'm writing this, this is how my blog looks like...

I know you all can see it for yourself right now. But as I applied the design, I somehow I realised I don't have any screen shots of the previous designs of this blog. Not even one although I've kept this blog running for over 6 years. Something that I totally took for granted.

It's too late to do anything about that now, right? At least if I were to change my blog design in the future, I have already put this design on record.

I also think it's high time that I added "& Son" to the blog title since Raees has been an avid blogger too :)

Travelling: Manual vs. Auto Pump

2010-09-24T06:57:00.000+08:00

As I mentioned earlier, I will be on assignment overseas very soon. During the one-week trip I will be travelling around the country at 4 different cities.

My previous overseas assignment (New Zealand), I relied on my good old manual pump. This time around I'm considering the automatic pump instead. I'm still weighing my options though as both have their advantages and disadvantages.

Manual Pump

Advantages:
- light weight
- can easily fit in my handbag

Disadvantages:
- single pump (time consuming)
- can't multitask

Automatic Pump

Advantages:
- double pump (faster)
- although I'm using PIS, I have a trick to do it hands-free (multitasking!)

Disadvantages:
- heavy (not travel-friendly)
- bulky (requires bigger bag)
- not entirely quiet

So you see, manual pump is great to bring around but I need to really spend time on pumping. Automatic pump is definitely easier and saves a lot of time and energy. But its weight and size are the down side. Having need to travel a lot (probably even ride a camel :P) makes me go back to considering the manual pump.

My experience with the manual in NZ wasn't easy. I spent about half an hour every morning and night just to pump. While throughout the day I pumped while travelling in the bus/car. It was possible coz I did spend a lot of time on the road. But this trip might not necessarily be the same.

I have one more day to think it through. Hmm..

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Social Skills

2010-09-23T17:23:00.007+08:00

You know, it's difficult being around adults all the time. They're just a lot bigger than me! When I see kids around, I couldn't help but stare at them as they play, run , laugh and scream. Can't wait til I can do that myself.

And sometimes they approach me. Some say hi...

Some just stare...

Pretty girl, isn't she?

Either way, I like their company even if it's just for a short time. I feel I can be myself when they're around. Unlike adults who tend to pinch my chubby cheeks and baby-talk to me, I can relate to kids.

That's why I like attending birthday parties. There are just so many of them at one place and the madness surrounding me is so much fun to watch. I get to play with so many kids at a time that sometimes I tend to forget about food or milk. Easier said, I'm in my best mood with kids around.

Mommy said I will get to 'attend' one soon. Yay! I can't wait :)