The Life Of Mama Quiyah & Abah Hasrul™

The Motherhood Drama..

2012-01-20T03:39:00.000+08:00

Hi guys.

Sorry for the long hiatus.. i was naturally busy with my girl. I wonder how you mommies out there can blog, while u have 3 kids, working full time, doing house chores and even maintain an online shopping blog at the same time? I have profound respects for you guys lah! As for me, i only have one child, on maternity leave but got no time to eat.

Ok, obviously im exagerating, i do have time to eat, but i really have to make sure that my girl is already asleep. Or else, that little missy will throw a fit everytime i put her down. Its true what my friend, Jaja commented on my wall post.

Sometimes i do feel like screaming, plus im all alone, no help, no adult supervision. I rely entirely on Google, and sometimes my dad. Yeah, ever since i gave birth, my dad and i have rekindled and he definitely cares about this granddaughter of his.. Almost everyday he would call and asks about his granddaughter. He literally raised all three of us, so he know a thing or two about babies. So i do rely on him sometimes. My mom enjoyed those photos that i mms-ed through my dads phone.

So yeah, sometimes i feel like screaming at the top of my lungs whenever i got frustrated that i cant get my girl to stop crying. And there are times that i want to cry whenever she cries coz i know she's in pain, but i cant figure out what exactly that makes her upset. I dont have the luxury to ask people to come and stay with me, most of them have their own responsibilites. So what i did was, i talk to my girl, sometimes it works sometimes it doesn't work. And there are times when i felt like im a complete failure at motherhood for not understanding my own child. Before she came into this world, i thought i have prepare myself fr the big role, i read lots of parenting books on how to handle a baby but to be honest with you guys, no books can teach you on motherhood. Different babies, different situation. Like mine, my girl is a premature baby, the handling would be a lot different from a full term.

Experience wise, i dont have much, although my youngest brother too was a premature himself, but at the time when he was born, i was away at a boarding school. So i dont know how my mom handle him when he was a baby. I only know how to handle full term babies. Sad but true. Besides, my late grandmother used to take care of him most of the time. I wasnt in the picture that much. There are times when i wish, my late grandmother was still alive, i knew she would be a big help for me in taking care of my girl. How i missed her. Ever since she passed away, i couldnt find laksa or kuih tepung talam in the world that tastes like hers.

What i have found out so far about my girl is that she hates being swaddled and she's a good escape artist, not even for good 2 minutes, she can free herself from being swaddled. She also hates blankets, if she's still awake or even semi conscious, she would kick the blanket on to the other side. She's one feisty baby. Also, she would smile to me with her eyes closed when she's about to go to sleep. that would be my favourite time, to see her smile before she's off to lala land. When i see her smile, i would believe that all the frustration that i had with her earlier dissolves into thin air and that is when i would think it's all worth it,

Her progress physically, she is slowly gaining weight, although she feeds a lot, every 2 hours she would wake up for her feeds, and at night it would be every 3 hours. She is now 1.65 kg and her length is 42 cm and her head circumference is 32 cm (at birth it was 26cm). Slow and steady. I cant wait when she's bigger. I would want to dress her up in those adorable dresses. The other day i bought a bunch of headbands for her. It looks so cute, i cant resist, i just have to buy every colour that is available! Even now, i had to refrain myself from online shopping for her again, or i'll seriously hurt my pocket. Huhuhu..

Anyway, how was your new year so far guys? Mine has been good until today, i learnt one of my ex-colleague passed away in a motorbike accident. I shed tears, he was so young. I believe he was only 21 or 22 like that. He used to seat next to me. I cant believe that he has gone. im sure he is in a better place now.

Anyhow, have to go, i ramble on too much, now my girl is up for her feed.

My Little Miss Muffet..

2011-12-21T13:07:00.000+08:00

Hainizah @ 33 days old.

My daughter now is 1.35 kg. Super yeay! She's gaining weight little by little..

Yesterday, the doc ask us to purchase a multivitamins syrup for infants.

Hopefully with this, she will gain weight faster so she can go home with me.. Ameen..

Guilty As Charge..

2011-12-10T12:02:00.000+08:00

My first purchase at thepoplook.com. Super nicekan? but not nursing friendly, that's the point of having a nursing cover! Cantik kan?
Love the colour, love the texture.. Can't wait to wear it, and pair it with a matching dress with my baby girl. Ooooh, i can imagine her wearing a red flowery dress, with me and her wear matching headbands. And my hubby too wear a red stripey shirt. Aiyak, verangan jer lebih!

Practice, Practice & more Practice..

2011-12-10T10:32:00.000+08:00

I get to change my baby diaper for the first time!

Apsal la aku jakun sangat bila dapat tukar diaper baby? Because i never get to do it since she was born, and only on her 25th day, i get to do it.

Now i know, her "cue" is that she would be restless. Wiggling all over the place, non stop stretching and moving around means she had done her "big" business and she is not comfortable with having her poo in her diaper.
The nurses told me she hardly cries. Good, that's my baby girl. But the nurses also told me, she's super active, that is soo like her Abah. She's definitely a daddy's girl.

The nurse asked me if i wanted to change her diaper and hesitantly i said yes. Hesitant because, im not sure if i can handle it as my premature baby looks so small and fragile. So i started off as opening the side of the incubator, took a fresh diaper and the wipes. Boy, was i nervous, i was perspirating all over, even my eyebrows were sweating.

I remove the dirty diaper, but i was not fast enough, her feet are all over the dirty diaper, so yeah, her feet was smothered with her poo (eeyyyyeeeeeeeeeewwwwww!!!), and her hands touched her feet (double eeeeeyeeeewwwwwwww!!!). I quickly grab both of her feet with my left hand while my right hand quickly grab the wipes and clean her private parts and quickly take another one to clean her hands and feet before the poo ends up in her mouth. Hhuhuhuu...

While doing it, i was sweating like mad. But i manage to do it with the help of my husband, he criticize my work and once we made sure that she's all cleaned up, we both try to put the new diaper on her. All the while, Hainizah gave us a puzzled look. She most probably wonder, "what the heck is my parents trying to do???", or "mama, why are you all sweating and look so serious??" or maybe, "my parents gone cuckoo already". Hahahaaaa...

Anyway, after all that, she looked all fresh and cleaned up. We stayed for a little while until the visiting time is over. We played with her, talks to her, make baby faces to her.. then we left for the day.

I definitely need more practice on changing the diapers, coz she's really fast. I can't imagine when she started to walk later. Most probably her abah will need to do all the chasing. He needs the exercise anyway. Hahaha... Im evil, i know.

If only we are allowed to take pictures or video of her. *sigh* We missed a lot of her growing up part. I dont want to miss it anymore.

The First Of Many..

2011-12-08T11:44:00.000+08:00

Yesterday, the kind nurses at my baby's ward offered me if i want to hold my baby. They called it kangaroo care.

Kangaroo helps moms and preemies bond. Becausea preemie spends a lot of time in the NICU, often away from mom for long periods of time, bonding time is important for both mom and baby. Some other benefits of kangaroo care include:
Stable heart rate and breathing

Improved body temperature

Improved weight gain

Lesscryingandcolic

Increases lactation success

Shorter hospital stay

Longer periods of alertness

Holding your baby close to your skin will help her heart rate to stabilize and keep her warm, improving her body temperature. She may sleep better, cry less, and may even have more rapid brain development just from being carried close to your skin. Even if your baby is not breastfeeding right away, the skin to skin contact will improve your chances of having a successful breastfeeding relationship.

Read more:http://www.justmommies.com/articles/kangaroo-care-preemies.shtml#ixzz1fuVWiUN2

I get to hold her for 15 minutes. I almost cried when i first held her. When she's on my chest, i could feel her breathing, she seems calmer, and she smells wonderful. I kissed top of her head few times.. It's hard for me to let her go when its time for me to put her back in her incubator. I missed her so much now.

Today, my only motivation is to see her at the hospital and to hold her again. Cant wait for that to happen.

Today, i found out that i can find premature clothes at mothercare. Hopefully this weekend, i can buy the clothes for Hainizah Azurene.

Shopping Frenzy!!!

2011-12-06T11:06:00.000+08:00

Hi all..

These past few days, im on shopping frenzy.. Its YES, and some of the online shops are on sale.. But i think, i will go bald soon.. Man, its no joke when it comes to baby stuffs, but i know its worth it. Only the best for my baby..

So guys, head on to these websites for their good bargains..

1. OneBabyWorld.com
2. Fabulousmom.com
3. MyBbStore.com

Oh there is another websites that reccommends online baby shops. The website owns by one of my good friend Liyana Aznil. The link to the website is http://babyshopaholics.blogspot.com/.

ok, toodles!

Updates on Hainizah Azurene..

2011-12-05T13:24:00.000+08:00

People asks me on what can they call my baby since her name is too long and too many vowels. Hah..
Frankly speaking, i dont mind whatever name that you want to call my baby as long as there is a meaning behind it, like for example, Ain (means precious), Aini (means eye), Nizah (means strength), or Azurene (means willpower).

Anyway, Hainizah, is doing fine, no more of the antibiotic drip on her left feet. Yesterday, she smiled again at us.. although she looks groggy and sleepy. I helped to lift her up and make sure that she sleeps comfortably in her incubator. She seems active, stretching all over the place.. I can feel her muscles forming on her bones and she starts to develop "bulu roma" on her shoulders and legs. I also notices that she loves to sleep on her right side, sampai telinga kanan terkepek.. and she has my nose!

Updates on me? My waist length hair now has gone, i've finally cut it to a bob. Easier for me to manage. It costs me RM 45 for cut, wash and blow at the Hair Technique at Tesco Tg Pinang. The hairstylists told me i have very thick hair (for now missy, in 2 months time, i will start to lose it, blame it on the hormones).

I miss my baby everyday, itching to nuzzle and cuddle with her..

Confinement Day 21

2011-12-05T13:03:00.000+08:00

Day 21 of confinement.. dont ask me where does the day 1 - day 20 goes. I was a mess those days.. so i didnt list it all down.. trying to adjust to the new status, new life, and new routine is definitely not easy i tell you.

anyhow. i swear by these products for those who is doing confinement on their own.. (and had a ceasarean)

1. Ginger Dry Shampoo

This shampoo reduces my bath time to about half and i notice that if i wash my hair with water, i'll get a headache, but i dont have any headache if i wash my hair using this dry shampoo. It smell of ginger, which is not so bad compared to other things.. Haha..

2. Minyak Herbanika Nona Roguy

This product helps me to reduce the wind in my body, and keep my body warm as well. After delivery, ur body will have a lot of wind and to reduce it, its reccommended to use herbal oil for blood circulation and exposing the wind. I highly reccommend this oil.

3. Ebene Foot Massager Socks

It is important to keep yourself warm during ur confinement and to avoid more wind entering ur body through ur pores. The elders would force you to wear socks all day and night. While doing that, it is good if you could get ur blood circulatiion going on as well. So this product is reccommended as well. You can use this socks for 2 weeks continuously without having to wash it as its odourless and its machine washable too.

Will update more if i have more info..

Bila Sudah Terkena Batang Hidung Sendiri..

2011-12-01T21:19:00.000+08:00

Sebenarnye, dah lama nak update pasal ni.. tapi tak terupdate sbbnye penyakit "M" sudah datang dan writer's block.. Cheh, alasan.. Ape-apela..

Bukan ape, ni nak cerita.. Dulu, zaman aku budak-budak, remaja dan dewasa.. Aku suke mengejek mak aku.. Mak aku ni super sensitif, sikit-sikit nangis, sikit-sikit nangis.. Aku pulak, drama princess.. pandai mengajuk.. tp jgn salahkan aku, bapak aku and adik-adik aku pon pandai mengajuk mama nangis dan merajuk.

Mama dulu selalu sumpah aku,"tunggula bila kamu jadi mak nanti. baru kamu tau". Nah, sekarang aku dah jadi mak, baru aku rasa.. Tadi pegi jenguk anak dekat hospital pon bole nangis teresak-esak. Sebabnye, semalam tak nampak pon kaki die ade jarum drip, tapi ari ni nampak ade jarum drip kat kaki kiri die.. Nurse cerita, malam tadi die muntah byk..jadi doc takut die kene infection, jadi puasakan dia, dan masukkan antibiotik melalui tapak kaki kiri die pakai drip... Anak pulak pandai, macam tau-tau je mak die datang tadi.. dia sua-suakan kaki kiri die utk diusap.. Mmg biasa aku datang usap-usap badan dia, cakap-cakap dgn dia..
Dia seolah-olah nak bagitau kat mak dia ni, "mama, tgkla kaki Hainizah ni, dah ade jarum, sakit maaa".. Terus aku sebak, berjujuran air mata aku.. Dalam hati aku, kalau mama nampak keadaan aku sekarang ni, sumpah dia ketawakan aku terbahak-bahak punya..

Malah, bila aku tulis entry ni pon, air mata masih mengalir, sebak fikirkan anak kesakitan dekat hospital tuh. Tapi tadi, ada jugak berborak dgn doktor, die cakap, tak perlu risau sgt, anak puan generally ok.. Alahai, kalaula benda tu betul. Nurse pulak, suka bagi aku stress.... Setiap hari aku datang dan bagi bekas susu, mesti diorang akan tanya, "banyak ni je ke puan?". Mau je aku nak pelempang dia.. nak buat macam mane, dah byk tu je yg aku dapat, byk tula aku bawak. aku dah cuba macam-macam, semua pon tak menjadi.. Aku tak taula ape yg bole trigger susu badan ni jadi banyak. Ada jugak yg aku baca, minum air sarsi kordial tuh.. haa, yg ni aku blom try.. Hujung minggu ni baru nak suruh encik hasrul pegi beli. Kita tgk susu badan tu jadi banyak ke tak..

Sungguh, mulai sekarang.. memang aku bertaubat. Tak Akan Ejek Mama Lagi. Hanya seorang ibu boleh memahami perasaan seorang ibu yang lain, tambah mak sendiri. Lepas ni, aku rasa roda tu akan berputar, mungkin anak aku plak yg pandai mengejek aku nanti. Abah dia dah pandai ketawakan mama dia dah. Adoiyai... Padanla muka sendiri kan???

Is it Fate or Coincidence???

2011-11-25T19:24:00.000+08:00

Hi all,

Just to share with you guys that if you actually combine my birthday which is 8th January and my husband's birthday which is 6th October, you will get Hainizah's birthdate which is 14th November.

e.g 08. 01 + 06.10 = 14.11

Cool eh?

Anyway, talking about coincindence, Hainizah also share her birthday with Muhammad Nurfa'iq Syahim which is one of my dearest friend's son. Happens to be that my friend, Oja gave birth to the baby boy on the same date, only late by a few hours than my baby girl. Apparently Oja also share almost the same symptoms as i did. So she had to be induced on her 37th week of gestation. She's lucky that now she is home with her prince, while i just have to make do with the hospital visits for now.. Congrats to Oja and Din..

On another note, one of hasrul's far far away auntie, Ku Izan gave birth to a little princess on 13th November, which is a day earlier to our Hainizah. Can't wait to come by and see their baby too.. Haha, my baby would be very small compared to their baby then...

My darling Azurene also will be the same age as Ashraf and Aariz, who would be her nephew.. Kecik-kecik lagi dah jadi makcik.. Nasibla sayang..

Btw, my baby now is not using feeding tube nemore, she is on cup feeding.. Hopefully she will grow strong and healthy faster so that i can have her in my arms sooon.. cant wait to dress her up in cute dresses and headbands..

love, mama quiyah..

The Dramatic Birth Story of Hainizah Azurene Bt. Hasrul Andry

2011-11-23T03:35:00.001+08:00

Hi all,

Most of you whom are facebook friends with me should have known that now im a mother. I didnt even get the chance to take a maternity photoshoot or enter Papa and Mama Romantic photograph contest in Pa & Ma Magazine or attend a baby shower party. Allah presented me with a real live baby instead.

The experince i had to go through? Well, it could traumatize anyone. I am just glad and thankful that Allah gave me more time to be with my little family.. *tears*

Anyway, first of all i would like to thank all of my family and friend who have given me the endless support and prayers and well wishers. Hanya Tuhan akan dapat balas jasa anda semua. Before i begin her birth story, i just want to tell you that this stiry is not for the faint hearted. And for those of you who is in the medical field, do correct me if im wrong.

During my 28th week check up at the hospital, doctor detected that i have borderline hypertension and there's a trace of protein in my urine (proteinuria), my feet and hands were swollen too. Doctor just asked me to take care of my diet, exercise and come back in 2 weeks time. At that moment, i felt like im an elephant due to my genormous feet, we ended up buying a new pair of sandals for me. My normal feet size is size 5 or 6 (for high heels), due to oedema (swelling hands and feet), it has grown to a size 8. 3 sizes different. I figured there must be something wrong with me. But i just brush it off thinking that my mom had the same problem too when she was pregnant with me and my brothers.

Then came the 12th Nov, where my Sister in law came for a work/partial vacation with her assistant. I briefly met them and followed them to "some" of the places, mostly my husband was the entertainer. On the 13th, i stayed at home most of the time, and didnt even send them to the airport coz i was having pounding headache all day and was seeing some stars, also i was vomitting (thinking that the morning sickness decided to come back). I thought by resting, and keeping my feet up, everything will go away. Boy, was i wrong!

I texted my friend zaimun, asking her what to do with the pounding headache, she told me to take a panadol and lots of rest. I took one panadol and then try to sleep. I called my husband asking him on where he's at. He told me that he is on his way back bringing dinner for me, and will be there shortly.. told him that i dont feel so good and i need him home to help me to ease the pain. He reached home, and massage my head to ease the pain. Then, he went to the kitchen for a short while, when he came back, he saw me flailing on the bed, like i had a fit. I never had any since i was born. At this point of time, i already passed out. My husband panicked and called the ambulance. The moment the ambulance guy and the nurse came to my aid, i had another attack of seizure, the nurse had to administered 2 injection on my butt to stabilize my condition.

The moment i was stabilize, the nurse called to the Lam Wah Ee Hospital, coz i need to be admitted to the ICU ward for further treatment. Unfortunately, ICU unit at Lam Wah Ee was full, so is Gleanagles Hospital. Then the nearest one that is not full is the Penang Maternity General Hospital. Once i was admitted, when they look at my condition, they asked my husband to sign some consent forms, in case if i need any emergency operation. Few hours later, the docs decided that they will need to perform an emergency ceasarean section in order to save both me and my baby girl's life. On the 14th Nov 2011, at 4.11 am, Hainizah Azurene was born, 40 cm long and at birth weight of 1.1 kg. She was not breathing when she was born and the doc had to perform CPR, she was resuscitated and had to breathe through the ventilator mask.

On the 15th, i was still in ICU unit and was disoriented. The baby also is in the NICU. According to my husband, she is a fighter, this baby. Very active and her hands always trying to pull the tubes that is all over her body. While i was "under", i dreamt that i was choking on some broken plastic cup pieces and was trying my best to cough it all up. I finally awake and aware that i was in the hospital. The doc told me that i just delivered a baby and the baby is doing fine. I was in shock, dont know what to say. Then my husband explained the whole situation to me, then i started to accept the reality, that now, im a mother.

I try to gather more information from the doctor on my condition, according to the doc, what i suffered was eclamptic fit which cause by high blood pressure to the roof. The reason for that to happen is because that my body was rejecting my husband's sperm, hence rejecting the baby as well. So the baby has to be delivered immediately by csect in order to save her life and mine. This condition is severe coz i could either ended up having blood clots in my brain, coma or even worse, die. Thank Allah, i was saved by the good people and my husband's quick decision.

Yesterday, i was discharged from the hospital with tonnes of medicines, and the baby is still in NICU due to her low birth weight. She will only be discharged once she is strong, and knows how to breastfeed. I am constantly pumping either by hand or the breast pump in order to give my baby the best nutrition. Although there are times when i felt like i want to give up but the kind nurses at the NICU gave me hope to continue oz my baby will have all the complete nutritions and her organs would mature quickly. Eventhough there are good times and bad times (in expressing the milk), my baby is now off the ventilator and the docs have taken off the saline solution as well, just now when i visited her, she cried her lungs out, so that's a sign that her lungs are maturing. Hopefully, she would be okay soon, Insya'allah..

Unfortunately, i wouldnt be able to post any pictures while she's in the NICU.. but its safe for me to say, that she only looks like me on her first day of her life, after that is all my husband side of looks. She definitely has my husband's hair and sideburn. First time she smiled at us today, when we touched her in her incubator. I was shivering when i first touched her, she looks so small and fragile, she likes it when i gently rub her hand and feet. She has the most adorable smile ever.

So there goes the birth story of our precious, strong and will power baby girl.

Before i pen off, i will need to give a small reminder to all the pregnant ladies out there to be cautious of your health. The moment u have these symptoms, pls go to the nearest hospital or consult with your doctor.

1. dizziness, headache
2. heartburn
3. Seeing blinding lights/stars
4. Swelling hands, feet and face
5. Nauseous/vomitting.

That could be a sign of pre eclampsia and it could impose danger to u and your baby. So pls be aware.

On another note, i would also like to thank the good people in the Penang Maternity Hospital for taking good care of me and my baby. I know, i wouldnt be able to repay what you have done to our family. Only God would be able to repay you back. My utmost gratitude to all of u.

To my husband : Thank you for your quick decision the other day. I dont think i would still be here, if you werent there for me. I would always love you and even in Jannah, i would still want to be your wife. Insya'allah. Thank you, thank you and thak you.

To Hainizah : If you came across to this entry dear, pls know that mama loves you so much and i want you to always be strong, happy and obedient child to us.. Pls be good to your abah, because without him, u wouldnt be here, my love.

With that people, i will need to pen off coz its pumping time for my baby girl.

Helpful Websites on Baby and Mama Stuffs..

2011-11-06T18:56:00.000+08:00

Most of the things that i mentioned in my previous post are mostly i got from Online Shopping. Hey, im a busy working mom, so online shopping is the best option for me coz by the time weekend, i just want to put my feet up and take a lot of rest from the hectic working schedule.

Anyway, these websites are super helpful and superfast with their delivery, and cheaper from other websites that i've btowsed through.

Kak Engku Bidan Bersalin - http://bidanbersalin.blogspot.com/

This website is where i buy the confinement set from Nona Roguy, the tungku for the baby, and minyak telon Tropical Helrbs from Amway. Kak Engku is actually a confinement lady herself and wrote helpful articles on stuff on confinement and taking care of the baby and oneself. If im not mistaken, the postage is also free, can negotiate with Kak Engku for the total price of the stuffs that u bought from her.

Bengkung Bedung - http://bengkungbedung.blogspot.com/

This website is where i got the baby abdominal binder, tungku herba for mommy and herbal bath packets.

the baby abdominal binder (bengkung baby) is rm 4 per piece. The cheapest on the market and the workmanship is really good.

One Baby World - http://onebabyworld.com/

Next is onebabyworld where i got the complete cooler bag set, autumnz modern bengkung, autumnz nursing poncho, wash cloths, washable breast pads, baby carrier and fish shape thermometer. I also want some other things but apparently there are out of stock.. too bad.. Anyhow, if you buy more than RM200, postage is free or you can go directly to their flagship store at taman permata, ulu kelang.

MyPermataHatil - http://mypermatahati.com/blog/download/

From this website, i didnt buy anything but i did get a compehensive list for newborn, things to bring to the hospital.. yada,yada yada..

MamaYayaZone - http://mamayayazone.com/

This website is where i got my breast pump. The breastpump that i bought is called SafetyPlus Portable Single Electric Breast Pump, the function is much similar to medela swing but waaaaayyyyy cheaper than Medela swing.

The rest of the stuff like the baby bath tub, steilizer and warmer combo are bought at Jusco during Sale. Way cheaper than buying online. Well, that's all the information that i have for now. Will update more if i have more.

toodles..

Panic Mode..

2011-11-06T16:04:00.000+08:00

Hi people..

Now im 7 months along in my pregnancy.. Notihing major really happened.. apart from swollen feet and hands and i cant hardly bend down now due to my big stomach.. haha..

Anyhow, so far, i only got a pair of newborn rompers for my baby.. aiyaiyaiyai.. Havent gone shopping for the baby gear and stuffs yet..

So far what ive accomplished, is breast pump, Little bean sterilizer and warmer combo, bath tub with anti slip mat, the confinement set from Nona Roguy, minyak telon baby, minyak yuyi, tungku herba for the baby and some herbal bath packages for me to use, a pair of EBENE socks, little bean thermometer and 10 pieces of baby abdominal binder.

Things that is on its way to our house are autumnz abdominal binder for mama, nursing poncho, wash cloths, fish shape bath thermometer, washable breast pads, and a cooler bag complete set that has autumnz bpa free bottles, ziplock bags, mesh bag and reusable ice packs.

There is still a lot of things that is pending.. like the newborn diapers, cloth diapers, nappy, receiving blankets, nappy cream, more clothes, baby hanger and clips, towels, maternity pads, baby wipes, pacifier, bottle teats, detergent for baby clothes, baby hygiene care, baby bath care..arght, the list goes on and on..

Im yet to purchase kain batik and large tshirts for me to wear during my confinement and oh, im still deciding whether i want a playpen or the snuggle nest.. i dont think i would be sleeping without the baby for this first few months. there's so much things to do, and i have approximately 2 months left to go for the birthday of my kid.

Oh, for some of you who dont know, the baby's due date is on the 21st Jan which is the eve of Chinese New Year, due to some unforeseen circumstances, i might have to deliver earlier. Im hoping that this baby will come out on my birthday itself. It would be an excellent birthday gift ever. Im sure in my husband's mind, he would think that it would save him a lot on the birthday gift and whenver we do a party for the baby, the mother can join in as well with no extra costs to his pocket. Hopefully everything goes well, since i would be delivering here in Penang and do the confinement all by myself. Now, all i need to do is look for a confinement lady who can help to cook for me for probably 2 weeks max. Then, i would be on my own for the rest of 2 months plus. Hopefully this baby will cooperate and understand that its mother is in way over her head. But what to do? Extreme situations requires extreme measures.

Ive been talking to my parents a lot these days too.. my mom is over the moon about the baby and so is my dad. They offered for me to stay at their house during my confinement period but due to some reasons, i had to decline the offer. Plus my mom is not that well to take of me. Im afraid me and the baby would be a burden to her and ended up she's being not well. I refuse for that to happen. It happens to my late grandma, and im not going to let it happen with my mom.

Anyhow, baby is doing fine, i can feel the hiccups, the kicking and twisting and moving and summersaulting in my tummy. I cant wait for the baby to come out to this world so i will be able to have my body back and sleep on my tummy. Huhuhu, how i wish..

until next time.. daaaaa... aaa...

Err, I Saw This and Suddenly I Dreamt It.. *

2011-10-10T21:17:00.000+08:00

*drools..

Baby Loves This Song..

2011-10-09T16:53:00.000+08:00

This fella has good taste in music i see, whenever the radio plays this song, he/she dances with mama..

Haha..

it's hard to believe this girl suffers from lifelong arthritis when she looks so vibrant.. and i love her accent!

Our Raya in KL..

2011-10-09T12:43:00.000+08:00

2 words to describe it.. Good Food..

Me and my bestie, Hasliya.. was my bridesmaid too.. Haha..

Lontong Mak Unggal.. Terbaekkkk..

Abang Ngah with Aariz (si debab)

with good friends and relatives are just perfect..

Our Raya in Penang..

2011-10-09T12:29:00.000+08:00

We attended 2 open houses in Penang, both was organized by our malay colleagues.

1st one is at rizwan's house...

His wife and kids, and his mom, Mak Nani..

Some of my team mates..

ayam masak merah.. pedas tapi sedap..

Then off to Aina Farhana's birthday party..

Birthday girl checking herself out in the mirror..

Look at her big eyes.. and long lashes..

My favourite, kek batik!!!

Next Raya, it will be us and a baby.. owh..

Panic At The Clinic..

2011-10-09T11:40:00.000+08:00

Cafe.. Haha..

Kidding u guys.. Dont worry, nothing happens to me. Overstuffed perhaps.. Last weekend, my sister in law came to Penang for work and we had a chance to meet up for the weekend and show her the shopping malls here.

The trend for restaurants now is to hace a concept and at Gurney Plaza there's one concept cafe called The Clinic Cafe. We had so much fun clicking away our cameras coz the decor and the food was just superb. So here's the pictures..

Aaargh!!!!

See? she's the happiest person when she gets to inject me with ..chilli sauce!

Of course, my hubbt wants to take part into the action too...

And the foods...

yummmm...

It's been a while, huh?

2011-09-18T18:43:00.000+08:00

Hi girls,

it's nice to finally could find some time to write about something in here.

Updates about us recently, well... we did a lot of things. Not sure when or where should i start it first.

But first of all, i hope im not too late to wish all my muslim friends out there, Happy Hari Raya, hope you guys had a pleasant Raya with all your loved ones. Our raya was awesomw this year, despite that my MIL and SIL are not in the country, we still get to enjoy ourselves immensely. Surrounding ourselves with cousins, nieces, nephews, grandnephew(s) and grandniece. Pictures will be uploaded soon. But for now, i just want to update you guys with what's been happening on this island.

We have been blessed with good fortune lately, i believe it's called "rezeki". Ever since i have arrived here, with this little baby in my womb, we have been graced with god's fortune. The day before eid, i found out that our big boss in Penang allow us to stay at this house until i delivered the baby. Which i'm sure all of you know by now that my due date is around/before the Chinese New Year give or take 2 weeks. And the best part about it is that the house is for free, which we dont even have to pay for rent nor the utility bills. We saved a lot from there and could spend more on the baby. Insya'allah.

Speaking of baby, we haven't started on buying anything yet for him/her. And this little bundle of joy of ours seems very shy and refuses to show his/her genital to us. So we still don't know the gender yet. However, the baby's progress is good, all growing at the right time, following the schedule, just like its father, active just like its father. Loves to kick me whenever im about to sleep and or whenever its father put his hand on my tummy. The kicks are not prominent yet to the husband but it is strong enough for me to feel the flutters. Btw, we're at 22 weeks along today. The next appontment will be in a couple of weeks. Of course i can't wait. First of all to see the gender and second of all to properly see the face. I wonder how the baby will looks like. My friends told me it doesnt matter who the baby resembles coz me and hasrul resembles each other in so many ways.

As for me, hungry is just an understatement. I eat a lot nowadays, no more vomitting or nausea. Thank goodness. On every appointment, i checked my weight, I do not gain much, in fact i lost about few kilos during the fasting month but now sine the fasting month is over, the weight gradually picks up. I love to eat fruits and drink fruit juices. I still cant take milk, so i substitute my calcium intake with calcium tablet and lots of cheese and yogurt drinks. I cant take fish as well, i would throw up if i just happen to smell any fish or passing at the fish aisle at the supermarket. I started to have back ache if i stand for too long. So shopping time will not be as pleasant as its used to.

Shopping, hmm.. shopping... Here in Penang, nothing really appeals to me. Its either the things i like is too expensive or i cant find the size or too tacky. Basically, we dont have much choice. I miss KL terribly much, i miss midvalley and One utama so bad. If i went to midvalley alone, i would be able to bring home at least a bag or two but here? We couldn't even bring ourselves to shop at all. All we did was browsing through and complaints that is too bloody expensive and my favourite phrase would be,"hey, i can get it cheaper in KL". Recently, we went to a baby fair here in Penang as well. It's nothing compared to what we have at midvalley or KLCC. To really compare, it does not even do justice at all. Seriously. So we planned to get back to KL sometime around Raya Haji to shop for the baby stuffs. At least the stuff for its arrival. So far the only thing that we bought for the baby is the Baby Carrier which we bought at One Baby World (which hasrul insists).

I cant wait to be back in KL and i cant wait for this baby to come. I miss sleeping on my tummy, now my favourite position is sleeping on my left side which the downside of it is that my left hand woukld be numb in the morning which is not good since im a lefty. Ouh, i also wonder whether this baby would be a lefty like me, or a righty like its father? Im more partial if the baby is a lefty, lefty babies are creative, i would say so for myself. Haha..

Anyhow, our house hunting is still going on, despite that we've got to stay in this house until January. We found a beautiful apartment within a malay community with very nice environment (no dogs). Let's just pray that we got the house, it would be good for the three of us. The place is nearby supermarkets and night market and hospital as well. Should be a very strategis place to build a family i would say so, Plus its just about 20-30 minutes away from the office. Convenient i would say. Where we are staying now are mostly where the expats are staying, this place actually costs both of our arms and legs if we were to pay the rent and the utility bills ourselves. Opposite our place is the Gleanagles Hospital, Just a couple blocks away is the office. Subway and Starbucks is just a walking distance (not that i drink coffee, occasionally, i would drop in and order a frappucino or a hot chocolate)..

My work now is nothing compared to AIA or HDPM, most of the time i would be working late, reached home only at around 8 and would be extremely exhausted. At HDPM, i get to go back on time and would still have the energy to cook, chat, watch movie. In AIA, i get to watch malay drama on tv3 from monday to thursday with MIL at 7pm and get to eat dinner together with MIL and SIL. Well, here... i get to watch the prime time news while sleeping.. Hahah.. Plus i have to cook dinner for both of us and eat dinner alone while waiting for my dear husband to come back either at 9 (the earliest) or 2 am (the latest). It comes with the job. Now that we're in the same office, let alone on the same floor, I get to see how hectic his work is. So i understands his position. He works hard, to priovide for me and the baby.

Alhamdulillah, now i would say i am free of credit card, i have cancelled my one and only credit card with HSBC, its hard to say goodbye to it, coz i will lose my spending power. But in order to have a happy lifestyle, we would have to be free of debts. Bit by bit, we're clearing off the debts. Hopefully by the time the baby reached kindergarten, we only have one credit card for the household and lots of savings. That is my wish, I hope it will happen sooner rather than later. Plus, we are still paying off on our study loans. Insya'allah, with god permission and willing, the fortune would always be there. My du'a everyday and everytime i stepped into the office. Nevermind if we couldnt travel much or take lots of holidays as we wish, as long as we have the financial security for the family and especially for our baby. My MIL always tells me, if you have good intentions, Allah will grant it. All you have to do is du'a during your prayers and work hard.

Thanks to my mother and MIL i now have a purpose in life, i used to be so lost in this world, not sure which way to go. Now that i myself going to be a mother, my aim is to pass on to the chilldrens on what my mother and MIL have taught me. The lessons in life which is not taught in school nor university. I hope, i can raise beautiful childrens with discipline and integrity and knows the value of hard earned money.

Well, i guess that is enough for the day, i blabber too much now, i might bore you to death with my hopes and dreams. Until next time babes..

Take care..

About Motion Sickness and Heartburn

2011-08-21T09:47:00.000+08:00

I'm at 18 weeks today. baby is growing, tummy also growing and so is the pain.

Lately i have develop a new thing which is called motion sickness. Whenever im in a car, i would feel nauseous and sometimes i throw up. Sometimes im not really sure whether if that is really motion sickness or the baby really hates Penang. The roads are definitely not helping me, there's lots of speed bumps which sometimes my husband forgotten about it which makes the car flew higher than it was suppose to be and it would worsen the condition. After a series bout of vomiting, than i would be tired and crancky most of the time. That is why in my handbag, i always keep extra plastic bags ready, so it would be easier for me to vomit. Huhuhu...

I have also suffered heartburns, twice to be exact. The first time it was so painful, i cried myself to sleep even after taking gaviscon. the 2nd time happens last night. And i am grateful to God for whoever created the minyak yuyi cap limau as it really helps a lot, few drops of the magic potion, it calms me down and i slept through the night, only wakes up to go to the toilet. so for pregnant mothers out there who is still looking for a cure for heartburn, do keep this minyak yuyi cap limau handy, in ur purse, on your night stand, in the car etc etc etc.

Well, i talked to my mother a lot these days, Alhamdulillah, she's getting better. for those of you who dont know. My mom was on a long holiday mc ever since she fractured her leg and it was on a cast for months. A week ago, the cast was taken off and now she is undergoing physiotherapy, to practice her muscles to be able to walk again after so long. I pray for my mom speedy recovery. Im sure she is bored out of her skull wouldnt be able to go to school and do the stuff she love, teaching kids.

My mom also told me that when she was pregnant with me, she cant even smell cooking rice nor cook a single thing. Its different for me, i happen to love cooking whenever i have the energy to do so. Its therapeutic, coz i got to give the best for myself, baby and husband. We have been to the bazar ramadhan, all i can say is that the price of all the food is super expensive. Imagine a small piece of caramel puding is RM 1? Freaking torture u know. I prefer to cook the dishes myself. I learned it all by myself, thanks to the internet. Of course, trial and error. If you fail, always try, try again. But so far, hubby said that the food i cooked is not so bad. Insya'allah, if i have more time and energy i will post the recipes that i have perfected.

I sorely miss baking cookies and cakes with my mom. This year raya i wouldnt be able to do either one. 1, i dont have oven in this house, 2, i dont think i have the time to do it coz my boss only release me for the raya leave on actual raya until the weekend. I just hope that when i reached Ipoh, my mom manage to do the rendang ayam, and when im in KL, i get to have MIL's lontong and SIL's Baked Vege Macaroni. Man, im salivating just thinking of those foods.

My preparation for raya is very minimal. I am only going to hunt for the outfits today, not sure what theme colour it would be this year. What colour does a pregnant lady looks good in anyway? Then, probably i just buy tons of kuih raya at the Bukit Jambul mydin store. My friends has been giving rave review on the Almond London cookies which only costs RM10 for 50 pieces. Way cheaper and tastes better than those who sells for almost RM30 for 50 pieces.

Okla all, will update more when i have the time ya! Take care.

Much love...

On Anything and Everything..

2011-08-07T17:24:00.000+08:00

Its been a week of Ramadhan.. 3 more weeks for the impending Raya celebration which i cant wait.

I sorely miss my mom and brothers in Ipoh, my MIL and SIL, my room back in Kajang, my friends in KL, the meetings with my friend Sha at KLCC, with lya my starbucks midvalley fellow partner and my colleague back in AIA.

Life in Penang is really slow. The only nice shopping complexes here are queensbay mall and Gurney Plaza. I've tried and tasted most of the foods here which does not really apply to my tastebuds which forces me to cook them myself. Yes, i do cook ladies and gentlemens. Not some fancy schmancy meal, those simple ones that i sorely miss.

The one and only thing that i really miss about KL is the choice of foods that is available. I went to the bazaar ramadhan recently, trying to locate Nasi ambang, but instead i found lots of stalls selling nasi dagang and kerabu instead. I almost wail at the bazaar coz i couldnt find anything that is susceptible to my cravings.

Ive started the new job, it has been 2 weeks im in the new company, with no allocated workstation of my own and no proper training. Thank god, i already knew the basic fundamental of the job which i was kgood at, back in year 2006-2009, only the difference is the system and the country that ive worked for. Nonetheless, with the difficulties, i still manage to perform on all of my tasks, but still the work is crazy. we are only allowed to go home when the so called "superiors" said so which i always ended up going back at around 7 and left me with no time and too tired to cook anything for breaking fast. I believe that is normal when the company is dominated by those "cha ya nun alif". Sorry, not trying to be racist but i still feel that i've been attacked. Its either that or im just being a complete delusional or probably i analyze too much.

Im happy to report that im at my 16 weeks of pregnancy and this is how my face looks like.

I think i looked like a whale already. Just so you know, my weight is still under control, i only gained one kilo per month of pregnancy. InsyaAllah.. i hope everything goes well. There's 24 more weeks to go for the impending birth and labour pains. I hope both me and baby will be fine. We havent decided on any names yet for the baby. Nor that we knew the gender yet. Will let you know in 2 days time when i go for my next pregnancy check up. Hopefully the baby will cooperate with us to let us know what gender will he/she be. We also havent started on buying things for the baby yet. Our main concern is to move from this current house and settled in to our own rented house. Technically we will be moving right after raya to the new house, now when that settled, we could start on buying baby stuff and decorate the nursery.

For those who wished us and send your prayer to us, we thank you from our deepest and bottomest of our hearts. And for those who is still waiting for the little miracle to happen, please be patience for He who knows when will it be the right time for it to happen. I worry too much before, now i am learning to take things positively and stay positive. Its hard coz im a pessimistic junkie. Ive been brought up that way. so excuze moi.

Sometimes i wish i own a private jet plane that can whisk me off anytime between Ipoh, Penang and KL. Oh well. *sigh*

much love..

Resepi Chicken Chop Versi Senang...

2011-07-24T18:55:00.002+08:00

Bahan-Bahan :

1 paket daging ayam hancur (kalau nak setengah paket pon boleh, bergantung kepada bilangan org yg ada)

1 tin sup tomato (campbells atau heinz)

1 tin kacang pis (ayam brand paling sedap) (air dalm tin harus dibuang)

2 biji tomato (dipotong 8)

2-3 biji kentang (dihiris nipis-nipis)

setengah biji bawang besar (dihiris nipis- nipis)

2 ulas bawang putih (dihiris nipis-nipis)

sedikit air

garam dan gula secukup rasa

Cara-cara :

1. Kentang yg telah dihiris, digoreng terlebih dahulu sehingga separa garing (kalau nak garing pon boleh, ikut tekak masing-masing), ditoskan dan letak di tepi.

2. Guna 4 sudu minyak gorengan kentang tadi utk tumis bawang merah dan putih, bile dah naik bau, goreng daging ayam hancur tu (masukkan sedikit air utk mudahkan proses gorengan ayam), masak sehingga daging tu semua telah bertukar warna putih.

3. Masukkan kacang pis dan sup tomato.

4. Masukkan kentang yg telah digoreng tadi. Masukkan tomato.

5. Masak sehingga kuah tu pekat dan jgn lupa garam dan gula secukup rasa.

6. Sudah boleh dimakan.

Chicken chop ni sedap dimakan dengan nasi, roti dan nak makan begitu sahaja. Kalau nak bagi baby pon boleh, tapi kenala blend dulu, karang tercekik plak baby tu.

Memang nikmat kalau makan dengan nasi dan kicap.

Selamat mencuba yer...

He is the Greatest..

2011-07-19T15:24:00.000+08:00

my husband i mean..

Every day before he goes to work, he kisses my tummy..

And every night when we sleeps, he put his hand on my stomach, "sleeping with the baby", he says.

The best part is, he let me do things at my own time.. and he always make sure that im ok..

it brings our love to a higher level, this baby..

13 weeks and counting..

2011-07-19T10:11:00.000+08:00

I have passed the first trimester, big YEAY for me!!!

But sadly, the nauseated feeling is still there, although not much of vomit. I know u guys want to know whether i really suffered or not right? You suckers! I was exhausted, lethargic, anything that associates with lack of energy is synonym to MOI. I vomitted a few times, that i still can count with my fingers how many times i vomitted, actually it was my mistake, for eating too much at one go. In the books says, i can't eat the big 3 meals anymore instead i have to separate it to 6-7 meals a day and drink tons of water to avoid cramping. Once i started to get used to the eating habits, the vomit stops, but nausea is still there.

The baby bump is definitely making its appearance. In fact, i felt like my whole body is growing, doesnt matter whether its my uterus or my belly. The baby definitely does not want to hide himself/herself. Btw, its still too early to tell about the gender, but my mom keep thinking that it was a boy. Im not sure why. To me, it doesnt matter what gender the baby will be, as long as its healthy and perfectly well. Although, my eyes would sparkle everytime i see pretty little dresses for baby girls. Oh, my crybabyness is worse, any sob story/movies, i will cry a bucket. Normally there would be a tear or two, but now... i sobs which make me looks like a train wreck. terrible, terrible, terrible..

I dont have any specific cravings but nowadays i love to eat mushroom soup and pizza.. and i used to love indian food, but i have to avoid it at all costs, because the smell of them, can make me throw up. no more roti canai, cheese naan... all that i have to forget while im pregnant. I just hope that i dont have any major cravings that its hard to get. Hehe..

Now, i cant sleep on my tummy! huhuhuhu... i had to sleep on my side, or else it would uncomfortable. huhuhuh..

Well, there goes my pregnancy shenanigans on 13 weeks, will update more on trip to Langkawi and the move from KL to Penang.

How Did We Got Pregnant..

2011-07-19T08:18:00.000+08:00

Sorry that i have been out of touch lately, that is because i'm adjusting to the new life, which is preparing myself mentally to be a mother and of course, the move to Penang. Well, that would be a story for another day.

Now i just want to focus on one thing and that is one thing only, to tell you guys tips on how did we got pregnant. I have a lot of people asking me to write about that stuff.

Well here goes.

P/S : These tips are not necessarily a sure fire success if u used them. It depend on each and every individual. But for us, these are the ones. You can try them, or not..

Tips Numero Uno

Let Everrything Go..

I used to be so stress about not having a baby yet, and everytime i hear someone i know is pregnant, i will cry. Yes, i was that desperate to have a baby. Mainly because i want to have something else to focus on other than my husband, marriage and career. I read on all the books on how to conceive and try to find alternative medicine to get pregnant. But one fine day, i have decided to just let it all go and let the mother nature takes its course. I just gave up and enjoy just being the 2 of us.I am much more relax and calm after that bold decision.

Tips Number Two

Avoid Junk Food at All Cost.

My love of Junk Food is always there, especially those McDonalds, KFC, yada yada yada... If uT ask me, if we manage to avoid all the junk food, i would say we are unsuccessful, but what we did was Lessen the intake. Occasionally i still do eat those sinful Mcvalue meal but i always exchange the carbonated drinks to ice lemon tea. Try to eat homr cooked meals as often as u can. The fresher the ingredients are, the healthier u will be.

Tips Number Two

Supplements, Supplements, Supplements

Always take your multivitamin, folic acid and drink milk. Do i still need to explain on why these are good for u? Folic Acid is to prepare yourself with enough nutrients for a growing baby. So don't forget to take it every single day. I also took another extra supplement which is more like an Indonesian traditional medicine. Its by Mustika Ratu and its called Dadi Wiji.

Dadi Wiji is a supplement to regulate the period and simple to make your womb healthy. We don't know with all the food that we consume nowadays could harm that essential part of our body, so Dadi Wiji is to repair the condition. I consume one and half bottle of it before i get to know i am pregnant. My husband also takes Tongkat Ali supplements for the energy.

Tips Number Three

Enjoy the ride?

I dont think i need to elaborate more on this ya people. Sila paham-paham sendirila eh.

So yeah, that is basically just it. So good luck people. Insya'Allah, ada rezeki, adalah tu.. Usaha, Doa dan Tawakal ok.