Happy Birthday to Me...

Yes, I turn 31 today. I don't have a clue when the exact time was but no worries. I still regard the whole 24 hours of today as my birthday. So... happy birthday to me!

I'm too sleepy to write properly, so a pictorial story will do la ye...

Headed towards the city via the new SMART tunnel. It's free up till midnight today. Come 15th June, 0001 hrs, you'll have to pay RM2 to use it. However, if I were using this road daily to get into downtown, I will definitely use this tunnel for obvious reasons: save time, energy and wear and tear of the car. Yes, I'm one of those people who doesn't mind paying the toll if it's purpose was well served. Kalau macam toll kat sunway tuh, hmmmppphhh... hampeh!!! ada smarttag pun tak guna when you have to queue up like others way, way from behind.

We went here, my all time favorite place to hang out. Eventhough the parking fees came out exorbitantly expensive, I don't mind one bit because it has all my eyecandies.

I really should declare my birthday celebration as a jalan-jalan cari makan mission. Did I tell you that B and I love to eat?! Well, that explains our ehem, ehem size. We started with brunch at Burger King. The mozza cheese was excellent!

Then, we traipsed along the 1st and 2nd floor before Zareef spotted these cars and decided to do a pose for me. Lunch was at Nippon-Tei but since I was busy feeding Zara, I forgot to snap our soft shell crabs, tendon and sushi set. My grouse: the place was really packed for lunch and foodwise, wasn't that superb. We've had tastier ones before. We sort of rushed through because we were seated near the entrance and there was this old chinese lady who was really staring intently at me macam tempat yang kitorang duduk tu dia yang punya. Bloody hell, if you really want my table, then come earlier la. Jangan la nak buat bising2 pulak. So rude!


Then, it was off to Chocz for dessert. I had the potent Aztec while Zareef had the chocolate covered strawberries. And you know what, he ate JUST the strawberries and ditched the chocolate. Iskkk... kalau camtu, baik la mummy pegi beli je strawberries kat cold storage tu. Senang citer. Good God! The Aztec was a killer! First taste on the tongue was sweet dark delicious silky chocolate. When it slipped into my throat, it burned a path with its spicy, potent hot chili straight to my tummy. B didn't like it one bit after taking the first sip while I braved on because I didn't want to waste good money. After the 7th sip, I started to like it. It's an acquired taste, really.

Lepas tu jalan-jalan lagi. Walked into Anya just to enquire about their 5 quid bag. I know, I know. Wishful thinking as the orders were closed 3 weeks ago on Friday. Nevertheless, I put down my name on the waiting list. I am number 93. I pray and hope I'll get it but I firmly know I won't. Actually, it was just for kicks. Just to see whether I can really get it. Nevermind, I know someone who bought a few. Wonder if she'd be willing to sell it to me? I've already offered her double of what she's paying.

Zareef wanted ice-cream, so we adjourned to Haagen Daz. Their ice-cream is heavenly next to the gelato that I tasted in Florence and of course, Ben and Jerry's. Sorry no pix here. Was a glutton here so by the time I remembered, ice-cream was well stuffed into our tummies.

Feeding time for Zara and we went to my favorite baby room. Ahhhh... it felt so peaceful and serene. Even Zara appreciated the ambience and fed with a vengeance. Zareef? Busy running around playing with the toys and poking here and there. Here's a secret, if you ever find yourself in desperate need of a loo and the lines are too long, then just nip into the baby room near tower records and ease yourself in the mom and child toilet. I tell you, no lines there at all plus the place is ultra clean!

It was the bookstore next. B got me a cake decoration book. Niceee!! So, keep a lookout at my baking blog ya for new and improved decos, I hope.

After browsing around, it was time to go home. Zareef was tired from measuring the walkways in KLCC and Zara was getting grouchy for not having enough nap time.

We had my birthday dinner here.

It's located at No. 43-1 & 45-1, Jalan Radin Anum, Seri Petaling, 57000 KL. Tel: 03-9059 6237/39. And no, I'm not getting a commission for promoting this.

Oh my God!! The lamb mendi was delicious! Juicy, succulent, moist and tender all at the same time.

Chicken Mendi and chips with mayo dip for Zareef. So-so. Zareef loves any kind of chips so no complains here.


They had unlimited dippings of garlic yogurt, tomato salad and I-forgot-what-it's called dip. Very delicious and so satisfying. The black olives were from the side dishes. Cold water was replenished promptly and service was efficient. Place was fitted with loads of middle eastern stuff. Ambience was pretty relaxed, laid back and child-friendly without compromising on the tasteful yet expensive deco (Gosh... I do sound like a restaurant reviewer here kan). Highly recommended!

Thank you B for a wonderful, wonderful birthday. It was just as I wanted; filled with love, surrounded by loved ones and of course, stuffed with food! I love you for being very thoughtful and compromising on my special day. The kids had fun too (although I can't say for Zara but I certainly can vouch for Zareef because he ended up getting what he wants eventhough it was Mummy's birthday). The next round will be on me on your birthday which happens to be next Friday. Wieeeheeee... more glorious food!

Cakes Galore - Part 3

More cakes at BakingWithPassion for your viewing pleasure and orders (I hope...)

Cakes Galore - Part 2

Please go to BakingWithPassion for a complete view of...

6 Months and Counting

My baby is now 6 months old. I've come to realize that I have not written anything about her. Poor baby. Bad mommy!

B and I can really say that Zara is a spitting image of Zareef when he was a baby. Memang betul satu acuan. Recently, during a flurry of spring cleaning, I discovered my baby pictures. Lo and behold... my two kids look exactly like me when I was a baby especially Zara with her bald head and all. "Aduhhhss... kuat betul genetic you nih! Muka I sikit pun tak sangkut kat derang dua..." Hihihih... apo nak dikato la kan...

She's starting to form her own character, that little princess of mine. Very curious! I swear, if her head could do a 360 spin, then she'll be doing it again and again. If something catches her attention, she'd stare at it intently without batting an eyelid. She's scooting around now. Every now and then, she'd lift her butt way up high in her attempt to crawl. She's sprouted two tiny pearly white teeth on the bottom gum. A very deadly weapon especially when she's breastfeeding.

I started her on solid food when she was 4 months old. First it was just plain old baby rice. Took her a month to master the art of swallowing. Now she's a pro. Her favorite food of all would be chicken, potatoes, cauliflower with cheese. In fact, she loves anything that has cheese in it. Sebijik macam abang dia. Zareef's all time favorite was cauliflower and broccoli with cheese.

She's almost done with her immunization save for the last one. She's a strong one, this little girl of mine. Didn't cry when the sharp needle poke her heavenly soft and chubby bum. But I think this GP of mine tak pandai cucuk la because every single time, there would be a bruise on my baby's butt. Zareef dulu takde pun. Itu lagi la, nurse je yang cucuk.

The most dreaded part has begun. Her separation anxiety has rear its ugly head. She'll scream and wail if she doesn't see anyone in her line of sight. I have learnt to turn a deaf ear on so that my sanity remains intact for both of our sake. To overcome this, I'm trying the peek-a-boo approach. Every 5 minutes or so, I'll just show my face to her, talk to her and give her a hug and then get out of the room. This is just to comfort her and reassure her that mommy is still within reach but mommy has to do lots of work so will you please not cry, wail and shout.

Zareef has been a real good big brother to his little sister. Now that Zara is able to show emotions, laugh at Zareef's antics and watch in interest at everything that Zareef does, Zareef in return is having fun playing with her. The biggest change would be his lack of interest in watching cartoons when he gets back from school. He'd change his clothes and wash his hands (I'm very anal about this. Everyone must always have clean hands before holding my baby!) and then would start to talk to her while showing her his work from school. Masa ni, Zara will smile, laugh, coo, gaa gaa in response to her brother's storytelling. Then, both of them would play together (Zareef would do most of the playing while Zara would watch and scream in delight at every cars and robots and legos that comes within her reach). Memang la a picture perfect moment and really my definition of heaven on earth. Total bliss!

Come evening, I would prop Zara in her MacLaren and we'd make a trip to the playground. Every, single day without fail! While Zareef is busy playing with his friends, I would push Zara making a few loops around the playground. Must exercise too, right.

On good nights, Zara can sleep through till morning but most of the nights, it would just be wishful thinking. By 9 she's ready to sleep. She'll wake up once around 3 and then 5, then 7. Oh well, sleepless nights come in the package of having a baby. So, whether I like it or not, terima je la.

Here are some pictures of my baby...

Zareef trying to make his sister smile. Not a very successful attempt :(

Hey look!... She's smiling on her own now...

Ohhhh... that cute cheeky adorable face of hers really melts my heart.

Time for bed little princess. Pooh and friends will lull you to sleep.

Ohhh those cute chubby drooping cheeks of hers. Mana la mommy tak geram asyik nak gigit je!

Her new set of wheels.

When Girlfriends Meet

I have not seen these ladies for more than 6 years. After 2 weeks of planning, thanks to Zied, the organizer, we finally met at Ikea's Cafe before adjourning to Little Penang Cafe. Memang tak habis-habis makan. It was great fun meeting with these lovely, wacky and bubbly ladies. We were doing the non-stop talking-eating-laughing routine. Very therapeutic indeed!

For three solid hours, my face was in constant smiling-laughing mode. Balik rumah, terpaksa massage muka lagi tu! Lenguh betul but it was well worth it. I felt so sorry and regretful for having to leave early. Home duty calls, y'all!!

I'm so glad that I got to meet Aje, Zied, Dilla and Amy. All of us were collegemates back in ADP/PPP. Zied and Amy were my crazy roomies while Dilla was the roomy one floor below and Aje was a few blocks away. In addition to that, Zied and Aje were my juniors from SSP. Plus, all of us are bloggers. So, there were so many bases to cover, too many stories to listen and lots of juicy gossips to chow down. Kalau one whole day jumpa pun memang tak cukup la.

from left: Aje, Zied and Dilla

from left: Dilla, me and Amy

*notice who the camera whore was?? hehehhe...*

Thank you so much for the lovely excursion, ladies! We should do this again and again and again. Seriously!

Cakes Galore

Please go to Baking With Passion to view

American Chocolate Cake

A Brownie Birthday

Winnie the Pooh Birthday Cake

Vote for Ninie!!

6 Years of Marriage...

... and I forgot to write about it! Shessshhhh... bad! Very bad of me!!

Our wedding anniversary was 2 Sundays ago, 25th March to be exact. Started the day off with surprising B with my gifts. Yupp... he got more than one. Three in fact. With the help of Zareef and Zara, we managed to pull it off.

This year's celebration was rather low-key and low-cost but a memorable one because we get to celebrate it with Zara nevertheless. So, it was indeed a special one.

We went to KLCC. In less than 20 minutes we were there, thanks to clear roads all the way and toll-free to boot! Hehehhe... I like!!

We wanted, well actually it was I who wanted to try out Bukhara's high tea but it starts at 3 so B said why not have lunch at Haagen Daz. Lunch you say? With ice creams?? Yeah, why not... so lunch it is. For the record, we only go to Haagen Daz on special occasions, the last one being B's birthday.

Then, Zara needed a feed and a nappy change. We went to the baby's room near Tower Records. Can I just say that that place is fabulous!! Spacious, well-lit, equipped with comfy chairs and has several board games to entertain the larger than life babies. I simply loooovvveeeee it! I must say that it is the most fantastic baby room that I've ever come across since I came back to Malaysia. We spent a good hour there with me happily feeding Zara, Zareef enjoyed trying out the games there while B just sat and lazed in one of the comfy sofas. Such bliss!

A trip to KLCC will never be complete without me zipping in and out of stores. This time, I didn't do any damage to my wallet. It's more of a family outing rather than a shopping trip. Around 3.30, we made our way to Bukhara. At RM 28++ for adults and half of that for children 5 years old and above, it was well worth it. I loved the relaxed and laid back atmosphere that the place has. Choices of food although limited, were more than enough to satisfy my cravings for Middle Eastern food. Not all are from Middle East though. They also have fish fingers, ais kacang, sandwiches, fish balls (I'm rolling my eyes here!), fried mee hoon and a selection of desserts which thankfully included baklava. Okay, doesn't sound very Middle Eastern now, does it?! I was rather disappointed with the choice of food so I made sure that I stuffed myself crazy with the exotic ones. I think I'll give Al-Marjan a try next time and make a comparison.

Around 5ish, we headed home but not before I got B a birthday card. I had to run away from him for awhile and make a quick dash into one of the book stores.

We exchanged cards the next day. Me him and him me.


Zareef saw me writing the card and insist that he had a go too. I let him doodle away. I was pleasantly surprised to see him write his daddy's name complete with the title on the card. Anyway, when B saw my card, he said "Eh Aling, I think you gave me the same card last year la". I was going... WHAT?? "Ye ke... tak la. I would know if it was the same one". "Hmmm... tak pe la. Tomorrow I bawak balik from office, kay".

Come tomorrow, B showed me last year's anniversary card. Well, well, well... whaddaya know...


It's exactly the SAME! Aiyooohhh!! How could I have forgotten which card I bought for him. I'm really kicking myself for it. I thought Hallmark is supposed to get rid of last year's stock and replace them with new designs but NOOO... they still have it in stock and plentiful to boot. So, I'm putting up the two cards here so that when next year comes, I'll know which card to avoid.

Well, cards aside, we had a great time just the four of us. To my husband, B, I'm so sorry for the card incident. I totally forgot what I bought for you last year. I love you darling and I pray to Allah that our marriage will last till death do us part. InsyaAllah...

A Special Delivery

Last week, I had a call from Sal, enquiring about a special request. It resulted in one large carrot cake but here's the special request part; to include several helium-filled balloons to go with the cake and delivered to hubby, Roslee at his workplace and... to keep it as a surprise. How about that?!

Okay, considering that I got the order in less than a-24-hours notice, my only worry at that time was where in the world can I get helium-filled balloons and it has to be surprise worthy to boot! A quick search on Google and I found a shop in PJ that stocks up on balloons from all the corners of the earth.

I quickly called B and urged him to get home early that evening to take care of the kids while I went for a balloon hunt. We all ended up going to the shop (sebab Zareef nak ikut tengok balloon shop). It's no joke man hunting for that shop during the peak hours of the evening jam. But, we made it.

The large carrot cake for Roslee.

It was adorned with simple decorations. Suitable for a guy to have it with his officemates.

Zareef simply loved the balloons. He has expressed that he wants 100 hundred of these balloons on his birthday this October.


Sal specifically asked for balloons that would draw attention to her guy since he is really shy and all. I hope that these balloons worked in doing so!


The birthday boy with his surprised cake and balloons but he remained cool and collected. If it were me, I would be jumping about like monyet kena cili.. hehhehe... He was very much surprised, I can say that much but still sporting enough to pose one for the camera.


When he walked in, I could hear the receptionist at the counter saying... "Wah... banyaknya balloons!! Birthday ke??" Yupp... the plan to draw attention to this shy guy worked! Yeay!!

So... happy birthday Roslee! I hope you had a great time with your lovely wife and here's to many more wonderful birthdays in years to come!

ps: Sal... next year nak buat surprise apa pulak?

Me, Weird??

The rule of this tagging game is this:

People who are tagged should write a blog post of six weird things about them as well as state this rule clearly. In the end, you need to choose six people to be tagged and list their names. Don't forget to leave a comment that says 'you are tagged' in their comments and tell them to read your blog.

I have been tagged by Ibah about 6 weird things about me. It seems that almost all the blogs that I've visited has this. So... here goes...

Weird # 1:

When I want to lull myself to sleep at night, I would take the corner of my blankie and twist up a small part of it and stick it into my ears. I then, would gently stroke my ears until I fall asleep. B was literally rolling on the floor laughing out loud when he got to know about it 6 years ago when we got married. I've been doing it since forever and I can't seem to break away from it. It's my ultimate comfort zone, therefore I do it secretly not wanting to share it with anyone. But now, it's out in the open.

Weird # 2:

I have this habit of counting everything that I do. I don't count aloud. I just do it in my heart. Like when I go up and down the stairs at home or any other stairs, I would unconciously start to count 1, 2, 3... When I whisk my eggs, I'll count the number of rounds that I've done. At night, I'll start to count the lamp posts one by one, that is provided B is driving. When I pick up the clothes from the laundry line, I'll count the number of hangers and clothes peg as I remove them from the hangers and unpeg them.

Weird # 3:

I can't stop myself from buying shoes and bags. Shoes, I can control but not bags. Noooooo... not bags. I have bags that I've never knew that I bought, some I haven't paraded around and some even have their original tissue stuffings in them! Sheesshh!! I discovered all of them when I moved to my new house and started to unpack my stuffs. Most of them were bought when I was studying in Purdue. The many, many shopping sprees to the factory outlets have resulted in me being a bag and shoe hoarder. I'm thinking of selling them (the bags and shoes) for el-cheapo prices. They range from Esprit, Nine West, DKNY, Guess to BCBG and YSL. Any buyers? It's more of an obsession rather than weird, don't you think so?

Weird # 4:

I eat nasi lemak and nasi goreng using a spoon but I eat the normal rice using my fingers. I don't feel right eating the first two with fingers. Can't really explain it.

Weird # 5:

I have this odd but irritating habit of correcting other people's grammar and pronounciation as they speak. The most usual suspect would of course be B. I used to tease him whenever he said paper. He'd pronounce it like pepper. Occasionally, I would ask him "Aling... how do you pronounce paper?" and he'd oblige and go like this "Paaayyyyper" sambil jeling2 kat kita. I also get easily irritated whenever I read anything that's grammatically wrong. Aduhhhsss... sakit mata ku memandang. Not to say that I have perfect grammar and my writing is flawless but pleaseeee make an effort of trying to write grammatically correct. I was such a stickler for good grammar, that I became B's proof reader when he wrote his phd thesis. I read through page by page all of his 200-something pages of draft before he handed it in to his supervisor. I'm proud to say that his supervisor was very pleased and even surprised with his level of competency and almost flawless writing.

Weird # 6:

I always, always blurt out whatever that is in my mind at that particular moment. Sometimes, people find it funny but most of the time, I find it to be shameful on my part. I mean, what I blurted out can be hurtful to others. So now, I try to control myself and try to think before I speak. That's my bad on my part.

Since I have to tag 6 more people, I'm tagging Zoowra, Dilla, Zied, Nong, Along (if you're up for it) and Llah (because she has not updated her blog for a very long time).

Bake Sale

"Ada ke orang nak beli?" That was the first thing I asked a friend when she suggested that I start selling my cakes. Her answer was 1) To roll her eyes till they could roll no more 2) "They'd be insane not to buy!"

Well... Cik Z... I'm heeding your advise and here goes...

Introducing my first bake sale, ever... What started out as a hobby to fill up my past time and Zareef's constant demand for cakes has turned out to be a passion so strong that it caught me by surprise and now to take it to the next level. To make it into a money-churning business.

Yes... I'm ashamed to admit that I need to sell my cakes to sustain my insatiable appetite for shopping plus I need MY OWN money! Penat la nak justify to B why I need this, why I need that. Wives... you know what I mean, right?! Anyway...

The above is a Carrot Cake with Cream Cheese topping. Very rich, moist and I would dare say that one slice is never enough. It comes in two sizes; small weighing in at 900g and large weighing in at 1.6 kg. The price? Small (as above) is RM 35 while a large one is RM 65 (I really do encourage volume purchases not that I mind baking the small ones, I do. It's just that it's more energy-saving).

Next, is my pride and joy. Actually, both are but of late, this has been getting more demands and popular with customers and they've been singing praises for my Chocolate Fudge Brownies. I'm selling a small piece weighing in at 600g for RM 25 while a large piece (as shown above) weighing in at 1.3 kg for RM 45. Again, I encourage volume rather than size. But if you have a small family consisting of just two or three people, it doesn't make sense to order a large one and have it stashed in your refrigerator for days, does it? But in my humble opinion, that will never happen!

I do make Cheesecakes with oreo base topped with either blueberry or strawberry. They only come in one large size and it's priced at RM 75. Sorry, no pictures yet because they get eaten before I could snap a decent picture of it. Next time ya!

The other one would be the Prune Cake. It's the same size as the Brownies and it costs RM 25 for a small one and RM 45 for a large one.

I do make deliveries but as always, there will be a delivery charge. Sorry, I have to because my house is conveniently located between the LDP and KESAS, so I have to pay toll charges everytime I get in or out of the house. I charge RM 10 per delivery for Puchong, Shah Alam, Subang Jaya, Putrajaya, Cyberjaya, PJ, Damansara, Kelana Jaya, Bangsar while it's RM 15 for Klang, downtown KL, Cheras, Ampang and Keramat. Order la banyak mana pun cakes, I still charge RM 10 for the former and RM 15 for the latter per delivery per address. Cukup la nak bayar for my fuel and toll charges.

For further information and pictures of said cakes, please go to http://bakingwithpassion.blogspot.com. Please email me with your order details at noresh_anshar@yahoo.com or just leave your details in the comment section.

Looking forward to doing business with you! Thank you.

Unwind

Two Tuesdays ago, we went to Guoman for a one night stay. B had work to do and asked if I wanted to tag along. I said, yeah why not. Sun, sea, sand and sex... sape tak nak kan... hehehe...

It was Zara's first mini holiday and I wasn't too sure how she would react to it. I packed our stuffs and by noon we were off to PD. When we checked into our room, Zareef made a thorough tour of the room and gave his seal of approval, the two thumbs up (Zareef really, really loves staying at hotels) although I wasn't that satisfied with the room. The room decor was mighty ancient, there were no tub to chill in, air-cond wasn't working well (we were all sweating in the room that night. nasib baik ada kipas), channel selection wasn't impressive at all and the house-keeping service let me down (I requested for a shower gel TWICE but it never turned up!). However, the view from our floor managed to compensate for all the shortcomings that I had to endure.








Zareef was itching to jump into the pool and hit the beach. B was already gone for his workshop thingy. I was left alone to take care of the two kids. Hmmm... So I told Zareef not to wander too far from me. Just stick to playing the sand and the water's edge while I stayed with Zara who was firmly strapped to her Maclaren. Zareef was fine with that and so he ventured out on his own under my watchful eagle eyes.


I managed to snap the sunset. It took a lot of fiddling on my new cybershot but it was well worth it. Zareef, Zara and I just sat there and waited for the sun to set. Lovely, lovely sight. I just wished someone was there to capture a picture of the three of us with that beautiful view as a background. There wasn't a single soul to be found. We had the beach all to ourselves. Pretty wonderful and peaceful, I could just have stayed there forever.


The next morning, we woke up early (I really didn't get much sleep actually) so that B could spend some time with us especially since his son who was begging him to go swimming with him. Luckily enough, Zara managed to doze off. Maybe it was the cool sea breeze that did it but I was thankful because that means I could jump into the pool to take a dip.


It felt great to be able to swim again. I managed a few laps that was until Zareef decided to tail me and play a game of tag with me in the pool.


After what must have been ages, we finally went up to our room. I washed Zareef and Zara up, packed our things, ate sandwiches, fed Zara and Zareef and finally I could hit the shower. I reminded Zareef profusely to come and get me if Zara cried. This was what greeted me when I got out...


My two angels sleeping together. This is what I call, heaven on earth. It doesn't matter where I am, if my angels are with me, that is as close as heaven that I can get.

By the by, if anyone is interested in staying at Guoman and you're paying, then it'll set you back at RM440 per night. But I would say, it's not worth it with the kind of room that they have. However, if someone else is paying, then by all means, go. The pool and the beach made up for what the room lacked, as in our case that is.

Zara's Story

This is the story of Zara's birth. If it bores your eyes out, blame it on Along. She made a request for it.

3 days before Zara was borned, I had already felt wave of contractions come and go but they were so unpredictable that I said to myself, maybe it's just the braxton hicks making themself more prominent than ever.

Come the third day i.e. Thursday, Nov 9th, I couldn't stand it anymore. I woke B up and told him lets just go to the hospital because a) I'm worried that baby is not moving and b) contractions are getting to be unbearable albeit irregular. After solat and breakfast, I kissed Zareef goodbye (he was sleeping soundly and looking very angel-like), memorizing his face so that if anything happens to me, I'll be able to carry his memory with me. Yeah, very dramatic. I blame it on the hormones. In the car, while B was driving, I even minta maaf and minta halal makan minum. Pastu, ada ke B gelakkan. Cehhh... he assured me that everything was going to be fine and he'll be with me all the way.

We reached UKM's O&G emergency at 9 am. The attending doctor did a check on my progress and said that I was dilated at 3 cm but waterbag is still intact. So, to excite things, she went ahead and burst my waterbag. Oh my... the feeling of warm water gushing between my thighs was oh so uncomfortable. That was when the real pain began.

I was given a gown to change into. I couldn't walk so I had to be wheeled to the delivery room. A midwife shoved a pill literally up my ass so that I could do the no. 2. Lo and behold, 3 seconds later I was practically running to the loo. That pill certainly did a good job and I would very well recommend it to anyone who's constipated out there.

Back in the delivery room, the same midwife strapped my bulging belly with the baby's monitor. Terus boleh dengar heartbeat Zara. Very loud and clear. I was so relieved that baby was okay.

Half-an-hour later, the anaesthetist walked in and asked me "Nak epidural ke?" and I went "Nakkkkk....". Yeah... I'm a junky when it comes to combating pain. I have a near-zero tolerance for pain especially when it comes to giving birth. I had epidural with Zareef and I wouldn't miss it for the world with Zara. Another half-an-hour and I still felt the pain. What the heck?? Consultant ni bagi aku placebo ke? I cried and asked B to go hunt for the drug doc. He came "Still rasa sakit ke?" I could only reply with a nod. "Selalunya org lain dah okay with this dose. Looks like I have to top up your dose". And so he did. But still nothing magical happened. I was beginning to bawl (I know.. I'm such a baby). B went chasing after the drug doc again. He came in "You boleh rasa sakit lagi ke? (Dia buat muka disbelief). I think I'll have to change you to a stronger epi". After doing so, baru la rasa comfortable. Now, I can smile. See... I told you my pain tolerance is very low.

At 11 am, my gynae walked in. The first thing that she said was "Eh... dah on epi ke?". I replied "Nak buat camna... I'm a drug junky". She checked on me and said I was still at 3cm. After much deliberation, she decided to induce me as not to prolong my labor due to my history with Zareef which was 30 hours. Both B and I immediately agreed with her. Again, more drugs cruised in my bloodstream. Thank God for the epi!! I was told not to eat but after everyone went out, naughty B snucked in a bar of chocolate and a choc drink. I ate and drank because I was famished. Tapi bila midwife masuk je, B cepat2 sembunyikan the forbidden stuffs. Hehehhe... we were like two naughty kids.

At 3.58 pm, I was ready to push. I felt the greatest sensation to poo. The midwife went running to find my gynae who was with another patient which happened to be giving birth at the same time. My gynae had to run between the two of us, weaving in and out of the delivery rooms.

7 hours later, at 4.01 pm, after a very big push, my little princess emerged, all pink and covered with goo. It took her a few seconds to cry. I cried and cried too. My emotions were running amok but if felt good.

After 4 years, it was an experience of a lifetime. I thought I would have forgotten how it felt, how to breathe and how to push but everything came to me naturally and fell into the right places at the right time. I had doubts about looking after Zara after a long hiatus with Zareef but they were all unfounded. I seemed to remember how to do everything. Even B was a natural. So, no worries in that department.

Zara is 3 months old now. She's getting chubbier, bubblier and quite talkative with each passing day. She has even rolled over now but for the life of her, can't roll back. Zareef has taken the role of a dutiful brother to see to it that his sister doesn't suffocate herself by rolling her so that she can lie on her back. He has become the responsible and loving brother. No sibling rivalry whatsoever.

I'm so thankful that B was with me throughout the whole journey. I wouldn't know what to do if B wasn't at my side. He was my pillar of strength, my sea of calm and my source of food... hehehhe.. But seriously, I don't think I can do it without B's help. For the life of me, I simply cannot imagine women out there who give birth everyday without their husband by their side. I salute them for their inner strength, courage and bravery.

I know I've said it but I can't say it enough. Thank you darling... thank you, thank you, thank you.

Stupid is as Stupid does

I'm such a klutz!! I was trying to add some codes to my site and now everything has gone haywire! ARggghhhhh!!! All at a click of a button.

I've lost all my favorite links instead of saving it!

I'm lucky that all my previous posts are still there.

So people, bear with me as I try to fix this blog of mine. I can assure you, it'll be a very long work in progress... sheeesssshhhh!!

First Post of the Year 2007

I would like to introduce the latest addition to our small family...

Zahra Ilana binti Mohd. Fadlee

borned on 9th November 2006 at 1601 hrs
UKMSC, Kuala Lumpur
weighing in at 3.31 kg

The happy brother

The proud daddy

Zara and Zareef

Zara and cousin Umar who was borned 1.5 months earlier

Friday the 13th

Uhhhh... spooooky.... NOT!!

My darling son Zareef,

Today marks the day you turn 4. Another milestone in life which Mummy and Daddy feel very fortunate to be a part of.

You started the week with falling really ill when your temperature spiked up to 39c at 3 am thanks to Daddy's virus which unfortunately caught up on you complete with cough, flu and you even complained of headaches. Alhamdulillah, the worst is now over with just an occasional cough and snort looming over. What a way to start celebrating your birthday.

Through it all, you've been very strong and cheerful about it which simply amazes me. But you have been that way from the day you were borned when you were left with no fluid at all in Mummy's tummy for 4 whole days and managed to survive, when you fell down from the trike and distorted your nose when you were 1, when you had your chicken pox at the age of 2 and most recently when you were lost from my side for a whole of 25 minutes at Mid Valley at the late age of 3. I'm proud to say that you have survived through it all.

Your constant inquisitiveness has made Mummy and Daddy to be constantly on our feet hence sometimes driving me up the wall when all that you ask for are answers to your innocent yet thought provoking questions to quench your thirst for knowledge. You have turned to be quite the chatterbox too but only with people that you know especially Atok, Nenek, Wan, Pak Ngah and Pak Chu. Sometimes I wonder whether you've aged beyond your years because when I listen to you talking to Atok, it seems that you've gone light years ahead.

You have learned to help around the house like locking up the doors, fetching things for Mummy when she's too lazy or too heavy to get up and get it herself, started to learn to clear the table and wash the dishes (only the plastic ones though. Hands off on Mummy's Wedgies, Porties, Nories and Royals), water Daddy's prized Philippine grass and plants, wipe the counter top and ohhh.... not forgetting your favorite, helping Mummy when she's baking. You would stand on the stool for hours on end trying to help me with baking from start to finish. I know you meant well but sometimes, it can become quite exasperating.

You are really looking forward to the arrival of baby adik. From the way you've separated your toys ("This is for baby adik. Nanti Zareef can show baby adik how to play with it".) to helping us set out the cot and changing table to volunteering to getting her nappies and other stuffs and saying that "Nanti Zareef jaga baby adik for Mummy". Your eyes shine whenever you looked at baby adik's ultrasound on the monitor. And that, my son, I know that you will be the responsible brother that we hope you would be.

Like I've written down in last year's post, I'll say it again and I will not stop saying it. I will move heaven and earth for you to make everything go smoothly your way. I will beg, borrow and even steal for your wellbeing. Anything for my son.

You have complete Mummy's and Daddy's lifes and now with the impending arrival of baby adik next month, that will be an added bonus. I simply cannot imagine my life without you. Not a single day, not a single minute. And because of that, I have decided to give up pursuing my career and instead stay at home to be with you so that you can get the best possible care that I can give you. I must say, it has been worth it. You have bloomed right in front of me, surprising me everyday with your antics, your wit, your concern and your thoughts. Not once have I ever regret giving up my job to raise you myself.

My son Zareef,
On this joyful and wonderful day, Mummy and Daddy vow to make it the happiest day of your life. But it won't stop today, it will go on for as long as both of us live. You're our angel, our love, our life. You're just the perfect son that we've always wanted (but can you please cut down on your merajukness and hard-headedness? That would really help, thank you!). We love you very much son. May Allah bless you with all the good things that life has to offer. Amin!