From the private desk of...

Re-activate please

2011-07-13T01:28:00.000-07:00

Whirlwind of events have happened since I last updated this blog. Something completely unexpected hit me and I fell hard. Wow!

Haven't felt this way in a ?? in fact don't think I've ever felt this way before.

Thankful for those who have walked into my life and those who've left it, I wish you all the best and may we cross paths again one day.

Big announcement coming soon, the Bank's in for a shock! LOL

What's new with me?

1. Growing the AE business

2. Spearheading the launch of a patented anti-aging technology and currently looking for business partners. If interested please email me at pialkhadilla@gmail.com

3. Aiming for a healthy lifestyle and achieving my ideal weight. So far so good, alhamdulillah. On that note, I've been drinking So Sweet Coffee to help with the process. Anyone interested, again please email me at the same email address above

Having an event this Sunday, in conjunction with PRIDE's fund raising event. AE is one of the vendors. To those who available and would like to go for a joy/thrill ride on the F1 Sepang track with one of the top speed cars (i.e. Ferrari, Porsche etc) please do come to the event from 2-6pm 17th of July.

Hopefully during Ramadhan once everything slows down a little, I'll be back with a loads to share!

In the meantime, please do follow my business partner's blog Shasa Ain on her experience attending courses in the UK and how fun it is to be making your own skincare :)

Morning glory

2011-03-20T04:38:00.000-07:00

the movie. So something the mother said to her daughter which is just so wrong!

Daughter gets fired from job and so comes home depressed. Mother's way of encouraging to look for another job and not her dream job says this;

Mother: When you are 8 and you've got dreams, that's adorable, when you're 18 that's inspiring, but when you're 28, that's just embarrassing...... *pity face* let's just not get to heartbreaking

Emmm like WATT??

I mean like put aside that I'm 28 this year and just about to start my life, but seriously if I had a mother like that, I'd literally HIT her! LOL

I thank god for my mother! She's the best!

Popular book fair

2011-03-19T10:02:00.000-07:00

I decided to go to IOI Mall today just to check it out and because I was looking for some stuff and I accidentally walked into Popular's book fair. Told myself 'ok I'm not buying anything, cuz at the last wolf book fair, I got like 20 over books which I've only managed to read like 5' *pfffft*

Ended up walking away with 4 kindi books for Adam, two A3 calendar style word with pics and a few books for myself for RM250 *smileeeee* I'm a sucker for books and I love what I just bought, here's the list:

If you want to be rich and happy - Robert T. Kiyosaki
Rich dad's conspiracy of the rich - RBT
Get into gold - Azizi Ali
Blue Ocean Strategy

On another note, mum bought me a working table with drawers, I'm soo excited I've got my own office style space.

Most successful

2011-03-14T05:45:00.000-07:00

toilet training session ever! So to some of you who are close to me will know that I've been trying to toilet train Adam. Not too great. A few accidents here n there and a few stressful eruptions from mummy dearest, lol I'm not the most patient person on earth. Anyhooo, I decided to get him some spenders (is this right, like the opposite of panties for girls, not boxers la basically get it?) and problem solved! amazingly.

I'm like WOW! everytime we use the 'spenders' he'll like for one, not play with 'it', secondly he'll feel much more comfortable like something's supporting instead of being lose and finally somehow he gets excited to actually do a 'wee' in the toilet. So yah mummy's so proud of you darling, I was worried you'd still be in pampers by 3 but looks like you're progressing well and next on the agenda is to be able to do a number 2, wish me luck peeps!

At least he knows this;

Adam: No pampers,..... I no schi schi floor, ....... schi schi toilet.

You got that right hunny :)

One of the many short conversations I've been having with Adam, one of them goes like this;

We were both brushing our teeth and I leaned forward in front of him to gurgle and so apparently I was blocking his view in the mirror, so to this he said

Adam: Move (while nudging me to the side), I no see mirror.

Haiyaa, is that a reflection of me. LOL I must really emphasize on the 'excuse me's', 'please' and 'thank you's'.

Thank you Allah

2011-03-11T11:25:00.001-08:00

Currently hooked on him

Maher Zain - WOW

Adam at 2 years and 5 months

2011-03-09T05:46:00.000-08:00

has been progressing very well in terms of speech sometimes he amazes me with his vocab and to think I was worried stricken when he wasn't uttering a word when he was 1 and when he turned 2 (very lil progress). It came to a point where I was even considering a speech therapist!

So his words and sentences that keeps playing in my mind when I go to work are;

"mummy or adik or popo or ati dotty" dotty = naughty

"oh no my bulun" bulun = balloon (couldn't stop laughing at this one)

"i nak eat" "wo ai ni" "i no see"

"gudnite mummy" "gud morning mummy" and many others which I'll update from time to time

so today's conversation:

popo: I didn't buy tickets soon enough

mummy: aiyo I told you to buy earlier (suddenly)

adam: I BUY

mummy: you got money meh

adam: I DO WORK GOT MONEY

hahahahahahahahaha

Surprise ol man

2011-03-08T10:00:00.000-08:00

Occasion: Kroll's surprise birthday party
Location: Hartamas
Venue: Souled Out
Food: Good but pricey
Attendees: Only know 5 out 45
Birthday boy's age: 30

My New York hommies, homaigod do I miss New York :(

Top clockwise: Emylia, me and Jannah (whom I foresee shall be my wingwoman hahaha)

Marshal the GPS

2011-03-07T00:56:00.001-08:00

Having my friends live all over klang valley and traveling with my babies, I couldn't afford to get lost or spend anytime more time than I needed to on the road for they will be cranky and do all kind of things that will keep me fidgety at the front, and so I decided to get myself a navigation system, Marshal the GPS that runs on PapaGo!

I almost bought Garmin, but thanks to Ian from Hot Gadgets I decided to give Marshal a go and the verdict ......

See how tiny it is too :)

Straightforward instructions and the voice instruction is easy to understand

I absolutely love it! Took about half an hour to play around with it, keying in house/office/friend/family addresses and saving them. Then when navigation starts it'll tell you way in advance what to expect, you'll be able to see it on screen, hear it and as it approaches a split road another almost-real-image-box will appear to make sure you know which lane you're supposed to be in and when to take that left or right, get it get it?? no? ok like this ... read slowly...

like if it was a simple left or right turn, then it's easy peasy right, but the roads in Malaysia sometimes splits into 3 or 4, one turning left, 2 split roads and a right turning, so if the voice says, keep to your right, you'll know exactly which right because of this little box that appears just before you approach that complicated junction/split road, WHICH IS SOO SOOO USEFUL!

Easy peasy lemon squeezy navigation

You can't imagine how many times I've made a wrong turn with the Garmin and the Tom tom and then it takes forever for the damn device to re-route itself and by the time it does I'm lost again and then it re-routes again and so the story continues till I stop the car and wait for it to position itself errrgh *rolls eyes*

This retails at RM699 but if you call Ian and say you're my friend you can get it for a really good price, so if you're looking for a gps for Malaysia, this is definitely it.

Down side, it only supports 5 maps, Brunei, Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia and the last I think is Thailand, but basically South East Asia so if you're planning to bring this "buddy" to Europe, UK or the States then you should consider another brand.

Adam, Aquaria and Aunty Elina

2011-03-04T09:22:00.000-08:00

Another overdue post. Adam loves fishes and so I dragged A. El along to accompany us to Aquaria KLCC. We had so much fun and the picture says it all.

Thank you Adam for coming into my life, you are the greatest gift of all (with adik Athier of course). You bright up my life and give it purpose. I love you.

A year wiser and fabulous - my dear friend Siti Fatimah

2011-03-04T08:50:00.000-08:00

An overdue post as usual. It was Siti's birthday last 1st of Feb but we only managed to celebrate it properly by the end of the month due to everyone's busy schedule and even that we couldn't get everyone to come sheesh and talk about having a 10th year KMYS anniversary *pffft* never gonna happen ain't it? However, we did manage to have a mini celebration and a proper celebration, so that's good enough given everyone's hectic schedule. Below are some pics, enjoy :)

Mini celebration attendees, location: the most happening place ever! haha

Adam warming up before cake cutting ceremony and practicing his moves with Aunty Mandy

Emmm who's birthday is it again?

Real overdue bday celebration, location: Canoodling (my fav)

The iPad keeping the boys busy

Fabulous, gorgeous and yummy cupcakes from Zulaikha and present from Kita Kita

Awwww

2011-03-04T01:50:00.001-08:00

He's soo happy he doesn't wanna come home. LOLOLOL you see the reason why? Maybe I should let him fo full days on some of the days.

Ok, so I've been busy

2011-03-03T19:39:00.000-08:00

Daily blog updates, gone down the drain, so I've learnt to have more realistic goals in a more realistic time frame. Given 2 gorgeous babies (I know Adam's a toddler now, but he'll always be my baby in my eyes), a full time working career and a 28(this year, I know! crazy old rite *pfft*) single parent means I've got to juggle home duties, mommy duties and career duties all at the same. I know this goes the same for a lot of you out there, but still its an uphill battle trying to give it your best and wanting the best in all 3 areas.

As some of you might or might not know that Adam has mild asthma, I've been searching high and low for a perfect nursery/childcare place for him. Perfect meaning clean, hygienic, good-caring-thoughtful-english speaking teachers with a good learning environment and reasonably priced.

Adam has tried 2 schools, and the first was a nursery/daycare center, but I wasn't over the moon with the place and the second was like a kindergarten, and I noticed Adam's too young for kindi, he still needs someone to supervise him over meal times, also be able to continue potty training at school, and most importantly be with him at ALL times to make sure he doesnt injure himself. Also because of his asthma the place needs to be clean and dustless at all times.

And so now I HAVE found that perfect center *clapjumpclapjump* wooohooo YES I'm that excited! (for now, but I'm confident it should be the place for the next couple of years)

The place is 5 mins drive away from home and it's a brand new place that just opened in January. So on top of that "PERFECT" traits I listed, it also offers home cooked food (for lunch) and fresh fruit juices during snack time.

The nap/reading room. They read to the child, and the child will be snuggled in their little sleeping bags and finally fall asleep. It encourages them to read a book before sleeping.

The best part of it all, if offers FLEXIBLE times. So how this works is its like a top-up method. So a month is RM450 that entitles the child to twenty half days so this means 5 hours a day for 20 days. So let's say for e.g. the child is unwell or on holiday or just refuses to go to school, then the day will be replaced on another day. So an extra half day on top of a half day equals to a full day :) seeeeee get it get it?

So it's soo worth your money! and and I'm not finished!

The school starts at 8am everyday but if the child is unable to wake up that early, or the parent is unable to send that early or whatever reason, you can still send the child whatever time and get 5 hours worth. So Adam normally likes to laze around in bed and play with me for half an hour or so then will he want to listen to instructions i.e. let's brush your teeth, wash up etc then I can still send him at 9 0r 10 then pick him up at 2 or 3. GET IT GET IT?? how lovely right?

Look at how cute colourful and clean the place is *wide-eyes-happy-face*

On top of it all, the teachers are dedicated, passionate, experienced and always respects the parents' requests *this is actually a very important feature as most places or the caretaker I must say prefers to do it their way and ignores all instructions from parents, eeurgghh*

The teachers - soo cute

So now Adam seems to be a much happier baby/toddler and so is mummy :) Thank you Myplaypen. Alhamdulillah

They also have a facebook page that you can check out here.

Casualty of love

2011-03-02T18:50:00.000-08:00

Currently hooked on her

Athier at 2 months

2011-02-23T19:27:00.000-08:00

This is probably my 100th video after several attempts of picking the best smiling/laughing/sing-a-long video and also deciding which nursery rhyme he prefers best, seems twinkle2 little star is the winner :)

My life entertainment

Excuse my great-singing-voice tralala

Athier at 1 month

2011-01-30T03:27:00.000-08:00

Can play and smile. Will try to capture a video. Mashallah. I don't even know I can feel so much love for my two tiny beings.

Went to Alimkids playgroup on Saturday and we (Adam n mummy) absolutely loved it! We started the session with reading the Al-Fatihah, which I noticed Adam at first was ashamed to put his hands together *doa style* but he saw others do it felt more comfortable and was actually joining in especially at the AMINNNN part.

We went on to learn on parts of the body and had a crayon colouring session with cutting and pasting part of the body to a picture *Adam loves to cut and paste* then we had a quick session of 'Who is Allah' *I love*

Then we continued with the alphabets, sang songs and finally had snacks. Well done to Awanis who initiated the Alimkids playgroup in PJ. So close and convenient and I love the module and the sessions and most importantly Adam loves it too :)

My lil picasso

2011-01-27T10:43:00.000-08:00

We start some mornings with a lil doodling like this

......................

Then some afternoons we let loose with a lil painting like this
......................

I decide to leave him so as to encourage him to be independent and imaginative while I go clear up the previous toy/food mess from what I label as 'encouraging creativity' and I come back to this

.......................

...................

..............

Well done my Lil Picasso, you always never fail to put a smile on my face :)

Come on, lets hear the lion roar hehe

2011-01-26T06:44:00.000-08:00

and yes, this is what I do every day, not the waiting-for-him-to-cry-part pffft but to watch my baby's expressions and see him grow more and more each day... just bliss. Alhamdulillah

Little things that excite me

2011-01-26T05:57:00.000-08:00

I've always dreaded praying on wood floor cuz it hurts my knees, and that's always the case when I'm in Malaysia cuz most of the time except for surau's, the floor's aren't carpeted (obviously I mean houses, cuz where else would I be praying besides the surau if in a shopping mall or at work). So now with Adam's bump mat I've taken over to use it as a cushioning underneath the prayer mat and I get really excited to pray. Like how some get excited over new stationary *me me* or over new books *me me* I get excited when I find a solution to little things like having a freezer in my room to store my milk stash so I don't have to go downstairs or like just having the bump mat under my prayer mat *big grin*

Another exciting gadget which I discovered last year and have been in love with ever since is my digital quran reader. I know you've got the ipad or ipod where you can use the iquran but I find this much more engaging, like there's a real life ustaz/ustazah guiding me. LOL don't believe me? I've done a demo in the video below. Enjoy my-not-great-quran-reading-but-wait-I've-got-a-digital-teacher-helping-me yeay!

U like? I like :)

2011-01-18T03:23:00.000-08:00

Stepping out feeling light and fresh ;)

2011-01-17T03:39:00.000-08:00

For a good 9 months carrying a baby in your tummy can really be exhausting. With endless sleepless nights, constant back ache, frequent painful-as-hell-leg-cramps and water retention specially on your feet,hands and in my case body and face *pfft* this would result in generally feeling knackered and in my case look horrible and puffy. Where's the glow that all pregnant ladies have? Definitely didn't happen to me pffft *I blame it on the genes! daddy's side, cuz my sister's seemed to have the same experience* I put on a whooping 20kgs twice for both my pregnancies and I'm considered to have put on the least weight compared to my sisters who did put on 25kg and 40kgs each pregnancy and they both have 4 kids! (But now they look good lah - however never being able to going back to their original weight - hope they're not reading this hahahaha). Well I didn't get back to my original weight either before I was pregnant second time round. So in the meantime, that's the target and I hope my two boys will help me out by making me run around after them, which is really not an option. So I'm taking it positively *nervous laugh*

As I mentioned before my confinement lady has left us and before she left, I took the opportunity to meet up with my gf's in Pavillion. Gosh, all of a sudden I felt 2 years (only 2 cuz I think that's the youngest I can pull off *pffft*) younger going out with the girls being able to dress up and catch up on our latest updates, well to be specific Elina's updates cuz everyone else's story including mine are still same ol same ol and it was good to finally have Japanese again *my favourite*

Left to right: Mooney, Dursie, Elzos, Kiau and I complete the picture *smiles sheepishly*

Light and fresh hahaha

On Sunday upon Siti's request aunty cooked us a scrumptious meal and prepared dinner as well before she left *so sweeet*. With Dursie's Sits Z's and Bo's presence I felt more at ease when aunty left, and took upon the first night taking care of Athier, doing night feeds and nappy changing. Results, I absolutely loveee it! Athier's more responsive now and less fragile *he's 4.8kgs now* so I'm definitely enjoying his lion roars and funny faces.

Officially ended

2011-01-12T19:12:00.000-08:00

My confinement period that is :) So yesterday I had a mummy-daughter-day-out while Adam was at school. We went to watch The Tourist at Signature Gardens. It's so weird though cuz when I looked online at the tickets it said it cost RM45 each plus RM2 booking charge, but I didn't go through with it cuz there was a notice somewhere saying booking should be made 2 days in advance and when I saw the seats all being empty, I decided to just buy it there. But tickets there were sold at RM65?? like wth? but because I've not been out to watch a movie since Leya's musical film, I thought I really wanted to just sit back and relax. So bought tix anyway and decided to order some food. BIG MISTAKE! I ordered chicken club sandwich or something like that, it's the only chicken burger and it was 3/4 full of mayo and when I threw the mayo out I realised the chicken was cut into tiny pieces and if u threw the mayo away that means all ure left eating is the bread and meagre salad for RM19.90 what a waste of money!!

But on the other hand, I really enjoyed the lying flat with the blankie and pillow provided topped with Famous Amos chocolate chip pecan cookies.

And I must say I fell in love with Angelina Jolie all over again! she's absolutely mesmerizing and captivating in the film and I couldn't take my eyes off of her and I wanted more of Johny and Angelina when the film ended. It felt like a 10 minute movie that was how much I was enjoying the film. To me she is the epitome of beauty as I've never felt so drawn to an actress such as herself. She exerts class and beauty on a whole other level. Wished she'd make more movies and tweets so I can tell her so. Sighhh... still in romantic mood :)

On the same note, I had so much fun with mum, felt like its been ages since we've done this and it has been, I'm so grateful that I still have the chance and time to just have a simple day. Love you mum! You're the best!

Playgroup and toddler classes

2011-01-11T18:30:00.000-08:00

When I was in the UK, I used to sign Adam up for playgroup sessions sponsored by the council (FOC) or classes at a minimal cost (ranging between GBP3.50-GBP4.50 per hour session). The playgroup sessions included activities for both indoor (mainly 'arts n crafts' and exploring educational toys or just playing with toys) and outdoors (sand playing, cycling and riding mini bicycle and cars, gardening and playing with water-they've got mini pots to scoop water). Classes included Kindermusik, swimming and Gymtots. Both of us enjoyed this sessions very much and now I'm trying to look for similar activities in and around KL.

A friend of mine had been sending her daughter to this playgroup called Alimkids and now she's starting one all on her own and the session starts in February which I'm pretty excited about. The activities are fun yet it incorporates the 'Khalifah method' into it which makes it unique and definitely of introducing the aqidah and akhlak part of Islam. The session goes by module and there are 8 sessions per module for RM200, which is definitely affordable and worth it compared to the gymboree sessions and the activity consists of pretty much the same stuff.

Also, I've found a Musikgarten class in Bukit Jalil golf and country club which I'll be trying out with Adam this Saturday. The fees are RM75 for 4 sessions which is not too bad and another at Lara's place in SS2. The class is called 'music for babies and toddlers' because the program is personally developed by the teacher who's got experience from Musikgarten and her own involvement in music. This class is RM280 for 12 sessions, which is also reasonable.

So I'll be busy with trial sessions this month to pick the best ones, but definitely Alimkids and a music class will be on the list, as I've already signed Adam up for drama classes as part of his afternoon activity (once a week only) after he finishes his half day montessori school.

Some parents may not agree with sending their kids to school to early or sending to classes that early but I feel that the classes I've enrolled him for are mostly beneficial for his right and left brain development, also a baby/toddler's brain is most absorbent from newborn up to 6 years old.

Plus the playgroup and music sessions I get to join in the fun and help Adam socialise. LOL apparently Adam's really shy in school and doesn't mix with other students (reason: still undetermined).

Since Adam's really into Ultraman and all these boyish stuff, I'd like to send him for football and either taekwondo or kungfu classes for the fun of it. But they say he's still too young hehehe *typical mummy going overboard right*

Other than that, I've seen swimming, arts n crafts and cooking sessions being offered to, but to save cost all of these skills can be done DIY by mummy dearest :) not too sure on the cooking classes but hopefully with much pestering by me, my friends DEENS, MONS, AW, SHASH and AZIE will agree to the baking and cooking sessions I've suggested for the babies *BAWLLLL Adam's not a baby anymore* but he and I still call him that hehehe

Pretty exciting times ahead, and with Athier in the scene I hope he'll be able to play catch up with his brother - now that's pressure.

Two thumbs up for Aunty

2011-01-10T18:37:00.000-08:00

Hearing, watching and reading stories of abusive helpers and careless attitudes of childcare carers will give you the worse chill ever. These people are entrusted with taking care of one's children and get paid for doing it, yet there are still sad and heart-wrenching stories of children being ill-treated and sometimes die in the hands of the helpers. I don't know how they can live with that for the rest of their lives nor even act in such cruelty.

So this entry is dedicated to Aunty Kei Jie for being such a great carer, a great cook and I wanna thank her for taking care of baby and I through out my confinement. Watching and observing the way she handles Athier and Adam soothes my heart for I know she's a trustworthy person and does not do the job as a carer just for the money but she puts heart in it and you can see from her work that it's all sincere.

She was even a victim of a snatch theft many years ago and when it happened she was carrying her child and they both fell to the ground, scraping a big part of her leg and yet she views life positively and made the best with what she had.*so inspiring*

My mum has always said 'when someone treats you nice, you treat them twice as nice' and I wish Kei Jie all the best and will be sad to see her leave next week.

But I look forward to seeing you again in June!! hehehehe

Melancholy

2011-01-10T17:11:00.000-08:00

Learning the sudden/not-so-sudden deaths of many around me breaks my heart seeing the loved ones who are left with the grieving process in despair.

Death does not recognise who, time, age and place. It is written from the 40th day we are conceived in our mummy's tummy. This sometimes freaks me out, not because I'm afraid of death although my 'amalan' is definitely not enough, but more afraid of how it would affect my babies and who would be able to take care of them, as of this point, the only person I trust is my mother and of course their father.

Although not a day goes by where I don't miss my dad *it's been 8 years* bt regardless I am thankful to have been given 21 years to know and love him.

And so everyday I wish, hope and pray to Allah that he grants my heroes and my mum a long life, good health, to be safe and to have a good future. Also, I pray the he grant me the strength, patience and good health so I can be their guardian, friend, mum and guide. If anything were ever to happen to me, I hope they would be able to find solace in this little journal /memoir that I-not-so frequently-update-but-am-trying-oh-so-hard. Know that mummy loves you both with all my life, heart and soul for just the way you are.

Oh your eyes, your eyes
Make the stars look like they're not shining
Your hair, your hair
Fits perfectly without your trying

You're so beautiful
And I tell you every day

Yeah I know, I know
When I compliment you
You wont believe me
And its so, its so
Sad to think you don't see what I see

But every time you ask me do I look okay
I say

When I see your face
There's not a thing that I would change
Cause you're amazing
Just the way you are
And when you smile,
The whole world stops and stares for awhile
Cause boys you're amazing
Just the way you are
Your nails, your toes, your hand
I could kiss them all day if you'd let me
Your laugh, your laugh
I think its so adorable

You're so beautiful

Love,
Mummy

My new year with the boys

2011-01-09T18:31:00.000-08:00

Adam got bitten by mosquitoes and this is how he looked like for 2 whole days *heart-breaks* with a total of 8 bites on his ears and legs. BENCI MOSQUITOES!

He's also been diagnosed with asthma and so now is on a vigorous program and requires inhalers 6 times a day. But he's a champ and despite all the downfalls he'll still put on a big smile on his face. Mummy's so proud of you sayang.

Athier on the other hand is receiving lots of lovin from his dearest brother and he's already started showing a strong character. He can lift his head up (pretty high) for a good 10 seconds, sneezes like a lion, grunts when I disturb him when he's feeding and cries at the top of his lungs when mummy's late to feed him. Otherwise he's brilliant and seems to be able to follow movements with his eyes are always exploring and somehow knows if you're in the room or not. LOL

and Adam's ready for school!

What I need to know about frozen EBM

2011-01-07T03:18:00.000-08:00

1 .Freshly expressed milk can be stored for:

in a cold box with ice packs for up to 24 hours
at room temperature (no more than 25 degrees C) for up to six hours
up to five days in the main part of a fridge, at 4 degrees C or lower
up to two weeks in the freezer compartment of a fridge
up to six months in a freezer, at minus 16-18 degrees C or lower
up to twelve months in a deep freezer at minus 18 degrees C or lower (Source: Medela)

If you plan to store expressed breastmilk for fewer than five days, keeping it in the fridge is the best way to maintain all its goodness (BFN 2009, NICE 2008).

2. Frozen breastmilk should be defrosted in the fridge, and can be stored there for 24 hours. Once it has defrosted, though, it mustn’t be refrozen.

3. You can thaw frozen milk in any of the following ways:

place the bottle or bag in a bowl of warm water
run it under warm tap water
defrost it in the fridge overnight

It's tempting to speed up the thawing or warming process, especially when you're busy. But using a microwave or hob to do the job will kill the nutrients in your breastmilk. Once the milk is thawed, use it straight away (BFN 2009). Throw away partially drunk portions of milk. The milk will have mixed with your baby’s saliva and may not be hygienic for him next time.

Once milk has been defrosted and warmed, it cannot be cooled and warmed again.

4. Your baby will want between 150ml and 200ml of formula per kilogram of his body weight per day (UNICEF 2010). So, if your baby weighs 3kg, he'll need between 450ml and 600ml of formula over a 24-hour period to satisfy his hunger. Rough guidelines:

During the first week, try giving your baby between 30ml (~1 Oz) and 60ml (2 Oz)at each feed. He won’t be able to manage much more than this in one go.
By the time your baby is one month old, he will probably want between 90ml (3 Oz) and 120ml (4 Oz) at each feed. He’ll consume anywhere from 400ml to 800ml in one day. You'll soon sense if your baby needs more, as he'll finish his feed quickly and then look around for second helpings!
When your baby’s between two and six months, he may want between 120ml (4 Oz) and 180ml (5 1/2 - 6Oz) at a feed. He'll have anything from 700ml (23Oz) to over a litre a day (33Oz).
Once your baby reaches six months, he may want between 180ml and 220ml at a feed. His total formula intake may be about 900ml a day.
When you start giving your baby solids, his daily intake of formula milk is likely to gradually decrease to about 720ml.
Once your baby is fully established on solids, he’ll need about 500ml to 600ml of formula every day alongside a varied diet (DH 2009a). If he doesn't want this amount of milk, you can always give him milky foods such as custard, rice pudding and yoghurt.
After your baby's one year old, he can move from drinking formula to full fat cow's milk (DH 2009a).

*It says here formula, but I would assume it's the same as breastmilk, as for breastmilk they'll always say it depends on when baby wants to feed.

Source: Babycentre.co.uk

So exciting..

2011-01-06T20:52:00.000-08:00

Today marks the day of my 100th.....

............

............

............

k y'all better say Mashallah when you see the pic below cuz I dun want nobody jinxing my baby's food stock!

It's my 100th bag of milk! yeay!! 19bags of 3oz, 26bags of 4oz and the rest stock of 5oz each. Yippeee! Targeting 200 before I go back to work, insyallah.

Introducing my second miracle

2011-01-06T20:47:00.000-08:00

Athier Abdullah El-Rabaa

What have I been up to?

2011-01-05T03:17:00.000-08:00

2010 has been a challenging year for me but Alhamdulillah I think I've learnt some lessons and if anything it has made me a stronger person.

Many like to measure themselves against others and tend to overlook own personal achievement, so on that note I'd like to jot down what I feel like I've achieved this year.

1. Got involved in YES Bazaar London that led to an article written on me and few other talented ladies in NST.

2. Had a chance of selling my own handmade natural products in London's PORTABELLO Market, hard work but all worth it in the end.

3. Got a job in Bank Negara Malaysia and looovin it. Got paid for the first time since graduation. Sweet I tell ya.

4. Managed to sell all products that I made with a lil profit, Alhamdulillah.

5. Received god's miracle for the second time, named Athier Abdullah bin Ahmed El-Rabaa

6. Managed to pay my zakat wang simpanan for the first time, insyallah things will be more berkat for me and my lil family this year.

I am thankful to Allah for giving me good health so I can take care of my children and my mom, I am also thankful for the strength, patience and good things he has bestowed on me to go through the trials and tribulations he had stored for me. I hope this year he will continue to bless us with good health and protect my loved ones including family, friends and everyone out there who are good and deserving.

Amin.

Happy New Year!

2011-01-04T01:56:00.001-08:00

2011 - WILL TRY TO START BLOGGING AGAIN!

Today's activity- Watering the plants

2010-07-08T14:13:00.001-07:00

Baby, mummy's gona be in London this weekend for classes. So I hope you had fun today. Mummy's gona miss u much but I'll see you again on Sunday and we'll watch the World Cup Final together with Popo and the team you're routing for is Spain ok! :)

*ok mummy :)*

*I'm the lil garden helper*

*Hi there me lady*

*Aarggh look how much weight I've lost since I've fallen ill*

*Baby topless model pose*

Adam's recent activities

2010-07-08T02:58:00.000-07:00

Baby, mummy's real sorry that I've been busy lately and haven't really been spending as much play time as I should with you. Plus you've been ill since the past one and half weeks, so not totally mummy's fault right :)

When mummy says *tulah orang soh minum air bebanyak tak nak, soh makan liat, soh pakai baju lapis2 takut sejuk takmo, kan dah sakit - hah lain kali dengar cakap mummy ni, golden tau*
Glad that I've gotten off my chest, so now a lil update on Adam's progress and activities :)

Adam The Outdoor Painter

*Hmm, I need a foot print*

Adam The Footballer

*WC Fever and I kick with my left foot*

Adam the Labourer

Adam The Gardener

*I'm examining the life of this leaf*

*LOOK A PLANE -- Oh apologies, I get distracted sooo easily*

Adam The Geologist

*I conclude that this stone comes from this pot*

*These stones are hot!*

*This flower has no Smell - Boring... (rolls eyes)*

Adam The Indoor Painter

including face, body parts, clothes, paper ooh I guess everything that I can get my hands on

*Sorry mummy, promise I won't eat the paint anymore :( *

*I love painting*

*Intensity*

*All done now :) *

*Mummy, can I have a shower now? (innocent eyes)

I've been MIA

2010-07-04T01:52:00.000-07:00

For a while now cuz I've been quite busy and occupied with classes in London and the World Cup ;)

I'd be done with classes this year next week. I absolutely love what I'm learning and making. Just last week, I learnt how to make my own mineral make up which included, foundation, eye shadow, eyeliner and blusher. Getting the right colour was the most challenging, especially with the foundation. But it was all worth it at the end. It turned out well and I know exactly what ingredients that go into my make up set and hence my face. LOL.

I've never really been a make-up person, only on occasions when I've got other friends to pysche me with it will I really apply some. Thing is I absolutely hate washing it off at the end, cuz you just wanna brush your teeth and jump in bed. So now since I know that my skin can still breathe and I'm not leaving anything toxic on my face, I wouldn't feel too bad if I fell asleep with make-up on. Hopefully it'll encourage me to wear make-up more, just so I don't look like a zombie or a pale human.

We also learnt how to make solid and liquid coloured lip gloss and mascara. I'm so happy with the colours I blended together, cuz they really suit my skin tone.

For the whole of next week we'll be learning more theory on the raw materials we use, the uses and how to use them into our products. Can't wait!

Kindermusik session

2010-05-21T02:54:00.001-07:00

Today's session was really fun! There were 7 baby girls and 5 baby boys including Adam. We sang, danced, played an instrument together (parents and child) and learned coordination. Adam was really good with participating and it's so funny how he waits patiently till everyone's taken their toy out from the basket then only he goes for his turn. Mummy here is like "Adam go get which one you want,quick! kalau lambat nanti tak dapat!" hahahaha

Looking forward to coming sessions till 12th July where they break up for summer holidays then hopefully we'll be able to go somewhere nice and *fingers crossed* with nice weather. Also popo's coming again! yeay!

He's asleep now aah so peaceful my morning and my plan to tire Adam out with a one hour activity everyday has worked so far! yes! takde rumah macam tongkang pecah! Going to London today for my skincare classes tomorrow. Can't wait!

Kettering Gymnastics and Kindermusik

2010-05-20T09:10:00.000-07:00

Signed Adam up for Gym-tots (gymnastics for toddlers) and he absolutely enjoyed it albeit 3/4 of the class being gurls. LOL In fact I think there were 2 boys Adam and another white boy. Hence the shyness and a lil clingy to me.

It was really exciting to watch Adam try out all the stuff they had there. I particularly loved how he was really enthusiastic on the balancing bar (which was prolly 10 cm above ground :))Also he did alot of climbing and balancing on the 35degree bars and coming down the plank. It was so fun to watch and also it's so good cuz they give 15mins of free time (with the equipment) then sing-a-long with all the other toddlers then they give an activity sheet where the kids should try and achieve the moves and when they do they get a stamp on the hand and on the sheet.

The session lasted for about 45 mins - 1 hour and it was only for GBP3.50 per session.

Recently, my life's not really turning into how I expected it to be so I'm swamping myself with Adam's activities and I'm really enjoying it! So Adam's schedule starting June:

Monday: SureStart Kettering program 1-2.30pm (Free)
Tuesday: Aquababies 10.30-11.30am (GBP3.50)
Wednesday: Full day nursery (GBP44)
Thursday: SureStart Stay and Play (Free) 10-11.30am, Gym-tots 2-2.45pm (GBP3.50)
Friday: Kindermusik 9.15-10am (GBP3.50)

So tomorrow we'll be going to Adam's first Kindermusik lesson too. Why Kindermusik? because 'The bottom line: early, positive, age-appropriate experiences with music—like Kindermusik—can have a remarkable and research-proven impact on children’s learning, including language and literacy skills (e.g., vocabulary, comprehension, listening, expression); social and emotional development; mathematics and pattern-recognition skills; and even ability to plan, guide, and self-regulate behavior.' We'll see how it goes.

Testing out the IPAD

2010-05-17T03:55:00.000-07:00

Cool nak mams! Absolutely loving it. Will have to get one soon. Anyone going to states soon?

Dear diary

2010-05-14T19:46:00.000-07:00

Recent events and point in my life has spurred me to start writing a diary again. I used to have a diary when I was younger (10-12 years old) and that was to express all my bottled up feelings. Now I feel the need to write again, not because of the vampire diaries (eventhough I do feel more excited because of elena gilmore's mystery) but because this frustrations have got to go somewhere right?

The reason I stopped writing was because I had a stepmom who always found my diary and presented it to my dad. So obviously that didn't stop me but it eventually did. I don't have any I'll feelings towards her Yasmin suraya Richardson only bad memories but I'm sure she meant no harm.

But moving on, this time I don't have to worry bout anyone snooping around my business right? Or could I be wrong?

Congrats Zain HD of RA & WAGO

2010-05-09T02:57:00.000-07:00

Glee Flashmob dance KL sizzles. Can't wait for videos.

So, the next move?

2010-05-02T09:23:00.000-07:00

Is to Norwich.

Firstly alhamdulillah, Ahmed got accepted into medicine and insyallah the whole family will be moving to Norwich this September.

It's an uphill battle but I'm really looking forward to a new place and it's a huge city with loads of nooks and crannies for me and Adam to explore whilst Ahmed spends his days at the University of East Anglia. LOL

Excited to meet new people, getting some Malaysians together hehehe and most of all there'll be plenty of restaurants to try out! yeay!

The place is about 2 hours out from London, never been there myself. So cheers to a new place :)

Before I forget

2010-04-23T04:55:00.001-07:00

My MIL's dish called MASA'A made with aubergines

Ingredients (Serves 5-6) with bread:
1. 4 aubergines
2. Chopped onions (1/2)
3. Sliced peppers (1/2 of each colour)
4. Nutmeg (1 teaspoon)
5. Cumin (1 teaspoon)
6. Cili powder (1 tablespoon - flat)
7. 1/2 stock cube (veg or chicken)
8. 1 can of chopped tomatoes
9. 2 teaspoons of minced/crushed garlic (I'm guessing 5 cloves gitu)
10. Salt to taste

Preparation:
Deep fry aubergine with salt, then remove the fried aubergines and cook in another pot
Throw all ingredients above and leave to cook on medium heat about 20 minutes. Waaalaaaa

On a separate note, Adam did something so adorable last night. He tucked himself in his bed for the first time and because the duvet was so heavy he was struggling to pull it over his body so he was making sounds like 'uh-uh-uuuuuuh' vying for my attention to help pull the duvet to cover his whole body.

So I pulled the duvet in and laid beside him, and he pulled me in on my neck and hugged me under his armpit and fell asleep.

By the time I could move (after he fell asleep) I was basically gasping for air. LOL

The joy of having kids can never be replaced by anything. Alhamdulillah

Adam's milestones at 18 months

2010-04-14T07:12:00.000-07:00

1. He swam to me in frustration. LOL mak die determine to make him swim. Since I started swimming at a very tender age too. I only found out my son's father could swim on our honeymoon last year. No connection but making a point.

He finally did it after several dips into the water cuz I left him with an arm and back float only. But of course before we've been practising lah with arm, back and ring float. I'm not that cruel. hahahaha but without the ring he knows he HAS to keep his head afloat and it encourages him to kick his legs and move his arms.

2. He sleeps on his own. After many weeks of - sleeping with us - then we put him on his bed, he realises it - wakes up and comes back onto the bed - in a night we do this about 3-4 times.

3. He uses sign languages and several unknown sounds to indicate what he wants and that he understands what we're saying so not sure if this is a milestone or not

4. Eats on his own

5. Knows how to scribble, put stickers in the right boxes, picks up clothes to put in laundry bag, picks up rubbish and puts them in rubbish bin, helps me hoover with all his might, brushes his teeth and tongue, massages me on my back (by standing, balancing and finally sitting and jumping)

The other day I took him out to the post office, didn't get what he wanted and ended up rolling and shouting on the floor. I was in shock I was.

Tu lah mengata anak orang lain lagi. Padan muka

OMG OMG OMG yeay finally love Hishamuddin you're the bomb!

2010-04-12T06:44:00.000-07:00

Anak lahir luar negara boleh mohon kerakyatan Malaysia

PUTRAJAYA 11 April - Kementerian Dalam Negeri (KDN) hari ini memutuskan peraturan baru secara pentadbiran bagi memberi kemudahan kepada wanita tempatan yang berkahwin dengan lelaki warga asing memohon taraf warganegara Malaysia bagi anak yang lahir di luar negara tanpa melibatkan pindaan undang-undang.

Menterinya, Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Tun Hussein berkata, melalui mekanisme itu, semua rakyat negara ini sama ada wanita atau lelaki yang berkahwin dengan warga asing, boleh memohon taraf kewarganegaraan Malaysia bagi anaknya yang dilahirkan di luar negara.

Mekanisme itu, katanya, akan dapat menangani masalah kaum wanita Malaysia yang selama ini mengalami kesukaran untuk memastikan anak hasil perkahwinannya dengan warga asing di luar negara boleh mendapatkan taraf sebagai warga negara ini.

''Kemudahan itu diberikan melalui permohonan taraf kewarganegaraan Malaysia di bawah Perkara 15(2) Perlembagaan Persekutuan.

''Permohonan boleh dikemukakan di pejabat kedutaan di negara kanak-kanak tersebut dilahirkan dan KDN akan melantik Pegawai Konsular di Kedutaan Malaysia luar negara sebagai wakil rasmi menerima permohonan berkaitan," katanya dalam kenyataan di sini hari ini.

Pada masa ini, tidak terdapat sebarang peruntukan di bawah Perlembagaan Persekutuan yang membolehkan taraf kewarganegaraan diberi secara automatik kepada anak yang lahir di luar negara oleh wanita tempatan yang berkahwin dengan lelaki warga asing.

Mengikut peruntukan sedia ada, di bawah Perkara 14(1)(b), Seksyen 1(b) dan Seksyen 1(c) Bahagian II, Jadual Kedua Perlembagaan Persekutuan, taraf kewarganegaraan Malaysia hanya diberikan kepada anak yang dilahirkan di luar negara kepada bapa yang bertaraf warganegara Malaysia.

''Untuk itu, KDN memutuskan peraturan baru secara pentadbiran bagi menyediakan kemudahan kepada wanita tempatan yang berkahwin dengan lelaki warga asing ini,'' katanya.

Bagaimanapun, kata Hishammuddin, pemohon perlu memenuhi syarat-syarat yang ditetapkan.

''Ibu bapa kepada pemohon hendaklah membuat permohonan secara bersama di dalam borang yang ditetapkan.

''Ini penting bagi mengelakkan pertikaian dan pertindihan taraf kewarganegaraan anak di antara ibu bapa kepada kanak-kanak di kemudian hari dan menjaga imej kerajaan Malaysia,'' katanya.

Dalam pada itu, jelasnya, ibu bapa anak berkenaan juga hendaklah hadir di hadapan pegawai konsular di pejabat kedutaan Malaysia.

''Permohonan hendaklah dikemukakan dalam tempoh setahun daripada tarikh kelahiran kanak-kanak,'' katanya.

Tambahnya, pemohon yang telah diluluskan taraf kewarganegaraan bagi anaknya turut dikehendaki hadir ke Ibu Pejabat Jabatan Pendaftaran Negara bersama anaknya untuk memohon sijil warganegara dan MyKid.

Busy busy weekend

2010-04-07T03:12:00.000-07:00

Gosh! what a hectic weekend it's been. Portabello market was brilliant exposure for AENS and we had a great and crazy time mending it as well! lol

Read more here

But the best thing was the massage I did the next day. Oh it was fantabulous! Adam had a great time in London too! went out to restaurants, visited baby Haris and even went to the DECODE exhibition at V&A

Supercool digital designs exhibition. Will put up pics as soon as I have time :)

oh and also also AENS got featured as part of a YES Bazaar article in NST written by Zaharah Othman read here

Hope everyone's weekend was great too!

AENS @ Portabello Market dis Weekend!

2010-03-27T15:16:00.000-07:00

Hey guys, today was in London town and had a real fruitful meeting with a private stall owner and suffice to say that AENS (Asia Essentials Natural Skincare) will be at Portabello Market this coming weekend. Woooooooohoooooooooooooo!! Details as following:

Date: 3rd & 4th of April (Saturday and Sunday)
Time: 8.30am - 6pm
Venue: Past the bridge at 'Portabello Green' and turn left. We're along one of the fashion stalls.

Seriously!! so so excited! was there for couple of hours and the crowd was mad. Next weekend is a long easter and bank holiday weekend (Fri-Mon) so to y'all Londoners and outer borough Londoner you gotta make a trip down to our stall!

We've got super exciting skincare products that are gentle and soft on your skin. Seriously, you don't wanna miss a thing! :)

Help is on its way... yeay!

2010-03-23T01:50:00.000-07:00

Since I returned from Malaysia 2 weeks my life has been topsy turvy! With the Y.E.S. Bazaar preparation, then Adam fell ill, got admitted, found out he got Rota virus so as you can imagine HORROR!

Oh and over the weekend, I drove for the first time ever in the UK. So proud of myself! I wasn't even sure if I was gona be able to rent the car cuz of my license (still Malaysian driving license) but I did and it felt great! At first a lil nervous but with the help of Najla (our Garmin) driving was smooth sailing.

So yea the house is a mess and so much cleaning to do, I resolved by spending the day yesterday looking for CLEANING services! and yeay I got one who's coming tomorrow. Woohooo! and most prolly we'll be hiring the cleaning lady on a bi-weekly basis. LEGA SUNGGUH HATIKU TAK TERHINGGA! Feels like this heavyweight on my shoulder has been lifted!

But I'm still baffled that London rates are cheaper. Yan your cleaner GBP6 an hour kan? Kat sini cheapest GBP9.50 an hour and that's excluding VAT! Stress! but whatever lah it's the best we can find and I need it desperately! So hope their work will be immaculate and I'll find out tomorrow!

Y,E,S Bazaar

2010-03-22T11:09:00.000-07:00

Great exponential learning curve. Great exposure I'd like to think thanks to the FASH ladies. However sales translation was a let-down. This was due to several reasons;

1. I expected more locals to turn up, not that I wasn't happy with the Malaysian crowd as it felt like home (and I'm thankful for that) but there weren't any locals who came unless accompanied by a Malaysian.

2. The hall was tini-er than I had expected (not the cause of loss in sales) but the location was. The entrance was ambiguous, as a passer by I wouldn't even trouble myself.

3. My products are on the high-end scale hence the crowd weren't prepared to pay anything more than £20 in cash.

Lesson learnt: Will make only 10 products each for future :)

I'm drowning

2010-03-22T11:05:00.000-07:00

At the moment... house stairs and the surrounding ain't great. I feel overpowered and I'm falling. Right now I'm wishing for Bank Negara to serve me a letter to return or pay. Where are thou when you are needed? Again I've been left to drown on my own.

Just realised 3 of my dear friends

2010-03-13T04:36:00.000-08:00

Have their daughter's named as sophia, sophie and sofea. OK knowing me who like to short form all things long and short so everyone's gona be soph/sof la ok. So to solve my problems when having parties and stuff I'm gonaa call them Sophwe, Sofmons, and Sophdeens. hehehe

JK

Tu laa punya banyak nama ade... LOL ok to friends in the future give different names pulak k :)

Asia Essentials skincare participating in London YES BAZAAR

2010-03-09T13:54:00.001-08:00

Asia Essentials Skincare is making its way to the UK; London in particular for one day only. On Sunday 21st March, we will be at the YES Bazaar at the Stowe Centre near Royal Oak tube station. This is a fantastic opportunity to experience all things Malaysian, but most importantly, it is great time to come along, try and buy some incredible skincare products. We will be presenting a wide range of natural skincare at Booth 8 from 12 – 5pm, so place it in your diaries now.

Remember that Asia Essentials Skincare products use natural ingredients that are sustainably sourced, fairtrade and organic whenever possible.

Click here to find out more on Asia Essentials skincare products on sale on the day

eXfuze on trial

2010-02-23T23:05:00.001-08:00

We all know how important it is to watch we eat etc etc. But at the end of the day do we really? maybe up to a point but we'll still succumb to that bowl of mee curry or plate of nasi lemak when it's just RM2-10 away or when someone cooks a delicious meal of junk i.e. lots of oil and unhealthy ingredients in it, how to say no?

ok NOW, I speak for myself, drinking a litre of water a day is not a problem but 5 litres a day? (quote a dr. who said the last time he had a flu was 14 yrs ago and when he had fever only lasted half a day, the secret 5 litres of water a day) mau pengsan ada lah. Also, fruit intake aiyyoooo so lemak like dat just thinking about eating fruits. The best way I can consume fruits is for it to be turned into a juice form hehehe but even that depends if got mood or if maid makes it or not.

So point being, I'm really excited with eXfuze as its got all the nutrients your body needs and its got the powerful healing, anti-inflammatory and strengthening of immune system for oneself. To top it off it tastes good and its in a liquid form. So, easy to consume. I just got some yesterday and my mom, Adam and I all took our first dose this morning. You consume about 3/4oz which is provided in a small measuring cup and twice daily. I already can't wait for my second dose in the evening. LOL sedap!! On top of that eXfuze uses vegetables preservative and not sodium benzoate. Yeay. For those who don't know why, go GOOGLE OK!

Also, me being 3/4 chinese have been on all sorts of herbs all my life but not constantly lah. I've tried ginseng lah birds nest lah, chicken essence, this and that all in chinese forgot how to pronounce. But I still have 3 major problems. I've got pretty bad sinus when it gets triggered. Not so bad in the UK, but Malaysia quite often I get sinus attack. Secondly, back pain especially lower back, like constantly. Finally, I suffer from dry and scaly skin.

So, I've changed everything that I apply on my body to natural and botanical stuff which I believe and comments from others that it has helped and improved my facial skin but not body. Ade sikit degil my epidermis. So I call upon my blog readers to follow me on my journey with eXfuze.

A family affair and Adam's outfits

2010-02-17T06:19:00.000-08:00

YES BAZAAR IN LONDON STOWE PARK

2010-02-17T05:08:00.000-08:00

Greetings to all of my blog readers and more,

OMEC YES assisted by FASH proudly presents "YES BAZAAR"

Details as below:

"All of you Malaysian and Non-Malaysian Entrepreneurs and Aspiring Entrepreneurs who are looking for a Bazaar in London to sell their wares, look no further!

There are 18 tables available to set up booths and so far quite a number have been snapped up. Also, free membership to OMEC YES will be offered to those eligible when they take up a booth.

The YES Bazaar will be held from noon to 5 p.m. on Sunday, 21 March, 2010, only a month away. So don't wait and sign up now..now...now...for a booth....or come...come..come and have a good shopping day out in London.

So will you be joining us or supporting us on that day?" Read more here

Date: 21 March, 2010

Venue: Stowe Centre, 258 Harrow Road, W2 5ES (Nearest tube, Royal Oak). For more information on how to get there go to the Transport For London website, http://www.tfl.gov.uk/

Time: Noon to 5pm

Objective: To promote entrepreneurship, networking and to create awareness of OMEC and OMEC YES and the benefits of joining. For more information on OMEC and OMEC YES, please go to the following links
http://www.my-omec.com/index.php
http://omecnews.org/index.html
http://omecnews.org/OMEC-YES.html
Participants: FASH & Friends
For Booth Rental Information: Email FASH at fashies@googlemail.com

Chinese New Year celebration

2010-02-14T19:15:00.000-08:00

The past week has just been so crazy! With last minute CNY preparations and decision whether to cook or not to cook for reunion dinner. Thank god we decided not to cook as it wudve been tooooo tiring for me n mum so we went to my aunty's house instead for reunion. Good dinner, good company and it was a crazy karaoke session with cousins, uncle and aunties. Then after too much stuffing n too much shouting the clock struck 12 and it was fireworks time!!! *gleeee*

*Kena tangkap polis tak, if write on blog?* hopefully not :)

So yeah firecrackers and all sorts of fireworks. Suddenly a we heard a loud bang ... and crackle.... and it continued couple of times and all of us started looking for the source of the noise woooahhh crazy lah a neighbour was playing those super REAL fireworks like the ones you see on New Year's Day or Merdeka Day! Can meh? but we enjoyed it regardless so thanks o' dear neighbour who prolly lives 25 houses away, you lit up our nite ;p

First day of CNY, everyone woke up late (we had 3 of my younger cousins sleeping over) and when we finally did, everybody rushed like mad lol I still managed to pack my angpow to giveaway this year :)

Went to my aunty's house again and had a short tea serving ceremony and angpow giving. WAAHH Adam really fattat loh. Got so many angpow's and a real HUGE angpow from his popo. After lunch then we went to my eldest uncle's house and this year it's so different, normally there would be a table of mahjong and everyone busy playing cards but this year because there are 3 babies including Adam, all the parents were busy and so was everyone else busy entertaining the babies. After dinner came home and my cousin and I watched a DVD 'The other man" Quite nice, the ending was unexpected and Antonio Banderas is in it.

All in all great CNY, I miss all the fun and chilling with family as all my cousins are getting married or becoming parents and hence have their own lives *speaking for myself too* and many of them are now based in Singapore so the less I see them :( But hopefully the next couple of days will be more chilling and spending time together and appreciating what we have as a big family!

Happy New Year everyone Gong Xi Fa Cai!

Top 10 reasons part 2

2010-02-09T09:45:00.000-08:00

Top 10 reasons why I DON’T LIKE living in Malaysia in comparison to the UK (in no particular order from no 2 onwards)

1. The lack of etiquette, honesty and courtesy

I arrived KLIA last night had 3 baggages, a 15kg box, a baby and a pushchair between my mom and I. All the men (Malaysians KLIA workers and passengers because they were closest to the area of incident) in KLIA were CACAT because they could only stand arms crossed and moved away when they saw me struggling to lift my luggage. Talk about MH (Malaysian Hospitality) – i.e. sila mati
This continues to simple things like holding the door for the person behind you and holding the lift when you see someone rushing towards it

2. The education system

I’m not even gonna start on this. Kejap BM kejap English.

3. The politics

Everything is politicized
Politicians need to learn to understand issues to the core and tackle them in the most robust way and sticking to their guns about it. It’s called decisions based on calculated risks and not go on popular support and changing your minds when the public is against it

4. The public transport

Nuff said

5. Security

6. Crime rates

5 and 6 are related. Whose fault is this? Too many foreigners or too many foreigners

7. The different Islamic interpretation and the practicing of Islam

I feel that my religious inquisition was sparked when I was outside of Malaysia and the practicing of Mazhab Shafi’e is like set in stone when it’s not supposed to be so

8. The legal proceedings

You wanna sue someone here for malpractice? Wait lah hopefully it’ll get resolved in the net 10 years and by that time whatever payment you receive will probably end up in a break even situation or even a loss

9. The shopping

10. The many stupid people you bump into once in a while

Top 10 reasons part 1

2010-02-09T09:13:00.000-08:00

Top 10 reasons why I DON’T LIKE living in the UK in comparison to Malaysia

1. The weather

I’m sick and tired of the extreme and unpredictable weather changes and the length of it; I arrived Malaysia last night, Ahmed call to check on us when we arrived and said it snowed. It’s February and I can’t explain how happy I am to have left the country
It de-motivates me from leaving the house to do whatever activity; even taking a shower is a chore
It’s depressing and boring

2. The standard of living

Everything’s mega expensive except when you’re holidaying in Europe or flights to other parts of the world seems relatively cheaper because of the currency
But everything else is mega expensive. Transport links, nurseries, spa’s, massages, watching a film eating out and trips to London
Once a month is affordable anything more dok umah je lah for the next 3 months after

3. The food

Except for London, selection of food and choice of restaurants are very limited and expensive and mainly not Halal

4. The medical system

The UK practices conservatism. My mom, Adam and I went for a check up, I had a bad fall a month ago and it still hurts, my mom had real bad ear and eyes itch with a sore throat, and Adam had prolonged chesty coughs.
The diagnosis; me – come back in a months time, mom – I can’t prescribe you with anything but go to the pharmacy and get some anti-irritants and painkillers – charges GBP35, Adam – got an antibiotic cream for his face where he kept scratching that had nothing to do with his cough because they call it – seasonal cough
Seriously!
I’m thanking my lucky star my IL’s are both dr’s hence speedy diagnosis and instant referrals. But other than that. I’m sorry people have to go through that

5. The people

London’s tooooo Metropolitan now and if not for the extensive security cameras and a great police force I’d probably die of constant heart attacks being in the tube station or surrounded by drunks
Unfriendly. Bye
But they have a strong sense of etiquette. Help is given or offered upon seeing someone in need of help, physically lah not monetarily. Respect for time and please and thank you’s are embedded.

6. The job market

This is probably just me.
Their in super mega debt problems so 2 million people are unemployed and they need to cut down on University student intakes blab bla bla bla bla so either bad management or they’re really just unlucky?

7. The lack of or expensive facilities for children’s extra co-curricular

Whatever lah, piano lessons, maths classes, ballet, gymnastics etc

8. Lack of outdoor facilities for outdoor activities

Can’t blame the UK for their sucky weather though

9. The lack of car parks or mega expensive maintenance of driving

Car’s generally cheaper and second hands are bargains compared to Malaysia but petrol’s expensive, insurance’s expensive, road tax is expensive, parking charges, congestion charges, maintenance service and the list goes on all expensive lah

10. Not a place to bring my children up

*these are my personal opinions and if you don't like it then buzz off thank you very much*

Bye!

2010-02-07T07:12:00.000-08:00

Nak balik Malaysia. Alas wooohoooo cu

Digital Cosmetic Mirror

2010-02-05T23:55:00.000-08:00

Report:

"Japanese cosmetic giant Shiseido, recently launched an ultra high-tech way of applying makeup. The technology is called Digital Cosmetic Mirrors and uses so-called ‘augmented reality’ technology that allows women to see what certain products look like on them before actually purchasing.

Designed by Shiseido, the Digital Cosmetic Mirror is essentially a monitor that scans one’s face and than offers makeup and skin product recommendations based on face and skin type. The mirror lets users choose from different colors and shades and shows what they would look like with those products on". <-- so obviously scans will be for Shiseido's products. I'd like to use this scanner with other products too!

"The results are all real-time and instant. Users no longer have to sit through arduous sessions with questionable trained cosmetics counter advisor." <-- There goes their jobs...

Updated skincare items

2010-02-05T15:55:00.000-08:00

Hi guys, just updated my sales blog here or at the side on Skincare Galore tab. Please check it out for latest items!

Going crazy....

2010-02-01T15:16:00.000-08:00

over the VAMPIRE DIARIES!!! argghhhhh best gileeeeeeeeeee!! Ian Somerhalder looks absolutely smashing as the series progresses and so is Paul Wesley... in my eyes lah *please stop reading if you can't stand me drooling over the series and actors cuz the rest of the entry's gona be about exactly that!

Nina Dobrev's acting is way above and beyond Kirsten Stewart's *human vampire's girlfriend comparison* her expressions and body language all just shouts 'I'M A NATURAL' and the twist of the series is getting better!

Absolutely love it! Never thought I'd feel this way about a film on vampires and witches but VAMPIRE DIARIES just hits it right out of the ball park. I was trying to feel all the passion and craze with the TWILIGHT series by reading the whole series and obviously watching the films. But besides Taylor Lautner's hot packs, that's really the most exciting part *rolls eyes*

ohhhhmeeeegeed, the feeling is crazy, I feel like I wanna be part of it! hahaha I know crazy-mother-of-one right. But don't care lah, the passion, the heat and everyone's just so damn good looking in the series it's just craaaaizieeeee...

Aaaaaah ok finally got out all that feeling out of me... and guys WATCH IT!

I'm serious...

WATCH IT!!!! :) goodnight

An English Wedding

2010-01-31T07:04:00.000-08:00

A Sudanese guy to an English gal, ceremony was lovely but I've gotta say the food was bad.

But the best part was the best man's speech. Some were cringing in their seat as he spoke about himself more than the groom. I know when he came to the UK, what he did last summer and his last name 'would you like a drink at the bar.' I panicked when he said "the women at the beginning is fresh, juicy, sweet etc but after a while they grow old and they don't look good anymore..... *realising what he just said... paused* oh but don't worry cuz that's the other way round too" then he finished by giving some advice which was 'Please set some ground rules but we know it's always gonna be 'ok darling' cuz the woman's always right' OOHMEEGEED I thought the girl's mom was gona strangle the guy hahahaha

What to do about the 'head banging phenomenon'

2010-01-29T01:52:00.000-08:00

Firstly, I didn't know it was something that toddlers do and boys are 3 times more likely to head bang than girls. Hence, the non-occurence-in-my-mind to GOOGLE the phenomenon. LOL

What can I do about it?

Give your toddler your attention — but not when he's banging.
Make sure your child gets plenty of positive attention from you when he's not banging his head. If he still bangs his head to get your attention, though, try not to make a big deal about it, or you may reinforce the behavior. Even if you can't completely disregard the behavior, don't scold or punish him for it. He's too young to understand the situation, and your disapproval may only make matters worse.

Was just thinking to send him to the Naughty Corner everytime he did it. Glad I didn't start on that routine.

Protect your child from injury.
Check all the screws and bolts on your toddler's crib once a month or more to make sure the rocking isn't loosening anything. You can also put rubber casters on the crib legs and hang a soft fabric or quilt between the crib and the wall to reduce noise and to minimize wear and tear on the walls and floor.

Don't put pillows or blankets in his crib to soften his surroundings, because these are a suffocation hazard. If you want to use bumpers on your toddler's crib to soften his blows, make sure that they're thin, firm (not puffy), and securely tied to the crib railings, so your toddler can't get his head between the bumper and the railing.

He doesn't sleep in the cot. He sleeps with us or on a separate mattress.

Try not to worry.
Your toddler may get a bruise or two, but don't worry — head banging is usually a "self-regulating" behavior. This means your child is unlikely to hit his head hard enough to seriously injure himself. He knows his threshold for pain and will pull back on the throttle a bit if the banging hurts.

True. He'll hit his head then realise it was too hard and start crying louder than ever. When that happens, I'll always say 'Hah, padan muka' hahaha

Help foster your child's love of rhythm in other ways.
Your child clearly likes a good steady beat, so help him find other outlets for his love of rhythm. Experts often recommend dancing, marching, and drumming or clapping to music together. You might also try putting a metronome in your child's room to give him the comfort of a steady rhythm. Make sure he gets lots of physical exercise during the day, too, to help him burn off some of the nervous energy that may feed his head banging.

Hmm.... that can be done but physical excercise is a little hard as the weather honestly sucks and I wished it would be summer already.

Start a soothing bedtime routine.
If your child is banging his head as a way of "coming down" from his busy day, try setting up a relaxing routine. A warm bath, a calm rock on your lap, and a quiet story or song may help. You may want to spend a few minutes before bed rubbing his back or stroking his forehead. Soft music in his bedroom can be soothing, too.

Adam showers only once in 3-4 days because the weather's too cold, and he already has chest infections and is on the blue and brown inhaler. But rubbing back and stroking forehead, no problems!

Consult a doctor if your child's behavior becomes worrisome.
If your child bangs his head a lot during the day or continues to bang his head even though he's hurting himself, you may have cause for concern. Though it's uncommon, head banging can be associated with autism and other developmental disorders, which sometimes become apparent during the toddler and preschool years.

Autistic children generally don't relate well to people. They often aren't interested in physical contact with their parents and seem to look through people rather than at them. If you notice that your child is losing physical abilities, language, or other skills he's acquired; if he's becoming increasingly withdrawn; or if he's consistently delayed in achieving common developmental milestones, check with his doctor.

NAUZUBILLAH mintak jauh...

So there you go, hope this will remind me in the future on how to counter the problem and it'll help parents out there who might encounter the same problem or mother's to be. Things to look out for.

Head-Hitting Phenomenon

2010-01-28T09:37:00.000-08:00

Hmm is it something to worry about? Whenever Adam gets frustrated because he doesn't get the things he wants or if I say 'no' to something he's doing, he'll either;

a) hit his head on the floor or
b) bang his head against the wall or
c) hit his head with his hands or
d) hit his head with whatever he can find i.e. toys, phone etc

Is it because;

a) he can't speak yet, therefore doesn't know how channel his frustration
b) his head hurts when he gets angry or frustrated therefore the head banging
c) learnt it from somewhere i.e. nursery

What is it? and how to stop it? how to teach him to channel his frustrations through a different way and head hitting/banging is WRONG...

Help from any mothers or doctors with experience...

Omniya's (SIL) Housewarming Sunday 24/01/2010

2010-01-26T13:49:00.001-08:00

Housewarming on Saturday 23rd Jan 2010

2010-01-25T09:01:00.001-08:00

Menu: Nasi Ayam and lots of crazy desserts

Housewarming in UK ni lah jadinye... gilee

2010-01-24T15:01:00.000-08:00

This morning

2010-01-22T09:08:00.000-08:00

Ahmed and I were in the car. He was rushing to work. He was gona drop me off at the flat after sending Adam to nursery.

Ahmed: OK, quick get off while the car's stationary

(Me taking sweet time)

Traffic light turns green

Ahmed: Go go *car still moving*

(Me open door) *car still moving*

Ahmed: Quick.... go *car stilll moving*

Oi, ingat I Jackie Chan kaaaa?!!

As promised...

2010-01-21T16:20:00.000-08:00

Please come visit my blogshop here. Hope you'll enjoy what I've got stored for you as much as I had fun picking all the items.

Scary thoughts... mintak jauh amin

2010-01-20T13:28:00.000-08:00

A 3 year old girl died cuz the 21-inch TV fell on her and pinned her down. The crash led to her death due to severe head trauma. I can't imagine what the parents are going through. I actually quivered at the thought. We've got a 50-inch plasma at home and Adam just loves pulling the plastic cover that we've left on and climbing the TV cabinet which is about his height. So now, every time he touches the TV, I've been doing the Naught Corner ritual. It's better that he suffers in the 'Naughty Corner' then me be sorry later.

Intermission: Watching The Brit Awards 2010 and X Factor won the best talent show. Sooooo excited! Am secretly in love with Cheryl Cole and Simon Cowell lol

Back to what I wanted to blog originally. I'll be selling some of the stuff here at my blog. Will probably put it up closer to the date that I'll be able to post it back to Malaysia which is the 7th of Feb. Stay tuned for the items that'll be posted up soon.

Finally mum's here

2010-01-19T14:48:00.000-08:00

Yeay! Picked my mom up from Heathrow with MIL and Adam. Alhamdulillah, everything went well no flight delays etc. Mum was real excited to see Adam and I was real excited to see her. But MIL's not feeling well and Omz my SIL has got tonsillitis. FIL's been unwell too :(

Made Chef Izzy's roast chicken tonite and Yan the dish was smoking! everyone loved it, the only thing is that there was no juice pun to make as a sauce, maybe I didn't fully cover the tray with foil??

However, now as I'm writing, I do feel terribly ill too, throat's throbbing and hurting, ear's itching and blocked, nose is blocked and body's aching. Sigh... I hate this weather.

This weekend having a small housewarming party in my flat, so anyone who's around and would like to come please gimme a shout. NO STRANGERS.

Pegilah sapot ye rakan rakan rakyat malaysia tanah airku tanah tumpah darahku yang manis ni

2010-01-17T14:05:00.000-08:00

More info on this event here

Mummy dearest

2010-01-17T02:03:00.000-08:00

Please remind me to remind you of your flight departure before your flights especially when the flights a midnight flight or past midnight. LOL

Second flight missed within a year

ok make sure you remind me to remind you that your flight is on Tues 2.10am but you need to check in tomorrow on Monday 2300 hours/ 11pm

Don't miss your flight anymore. Love you :)

Events of yesterday and today

2010-01-16T02:48:00.000-08:00

Finished watching The Vampire Diaries, it's actually quite good! lol better than True Blood for sure *yups watched that too* hahaha gonna start on 'The Mentalist' when my mom arrives tomorrow insyallah yeay can't wait woop woop
Made Spinach masak lemak cili api, quite good will make it again today for lunch
Shasa, Mariam, Su and Faezah were supposed to come visit today but due to some unforeseen circumstances *like ticket mahal, dah warning last week dah hahaha* only Sha and Mariam... maybe are coming *masih tak angkat phone to confirm* but anyhoo bought ingredients to make chicken fajitas wrap for 8 people last nite, including SIL, BIL and Ahmed. So now numbers have reduced looks like itll be more for us wahkahkahkah *evil laugh* but obviously still wished u guys cudve come :(
Printed out flashcards and e-online story books for Adam, now waiting to find a place to laminate the paper flashcards and books. Yeay!
Received my order for lip balm cylinders and pump glass jars and spray glass jars, absolutely love it!! looks gorgeous! hehe puji own's choice can or not?

Mystery for me: Adam loves the box or packaging of his toys rather than THE TOYS and he can play with them for ages. Like so weird? Should I buy him boxes instead? save duit sket hahaha

Random rashes

2010-01-14T08:55:00.000-08:00

Sigh... I ran out of my shea butter stock last week and so I had to use E45 lotion *from ages ago, which I still had a whole tub left and sayang nak buang* after my baths, and whenever there's a change of temperature i.e. I step out of the house then step back into the house, I start getting this random rashes. I think my skin's just shouting for help from all the petrochemical I'm putting on my body. I wanna get more supply but I'm not sure in which amount cuz I'll using the shea butter to make a sazzy 'Shea Butter with Argan Oil' body butter soon, insyallah.

Please visit here for 'did you know' tips on cosmetics and skincare which I hope to update as frequently as possible. Hope y'all had a nice day!

Life is for living, not living up tight, see ya somewhere up in the sky

2010-01-12T14:59:00.000-08:00

This song touches the core. Since I've been actively researching the industry *cosmetics*, people are obsessed with skincare that makes them look young, which is fine, cuz I've started obsessing with things I put on my skin and also I'd like to make that perfect anti-wrinkle product for myself using natural products. But the point is, don't obsess till we lose ourselves, affect our self esteem and be obsessed with how others view us in their eyes i.e. "I'm getting wrinkles on my eyes, what will he/she think of me now? they must think I'm old"
What's most important is that we're happy and we do things in our lives, aim high and achieve things in our life without hurting anyone along the way be it feelings, cheating, scamming, lying etc and we do things for Allah, because remember our purpose in life is for Allah, even having kids for e.g. Allah's SWT has entrusted us to take care, guide and bring up his creation with love and guidance.

Forever young I wanna be forever young
Do you reall wanna live forever?
Forever, forever
...
Reminisce, talk some shit, forever young is in your mind
Leave a mark that can't erase neither space nor time

Leave a good legacy and be sure the intentions are right insyallah you'll be blessed :)

I just read on the news that the CEO of executive officer of property management firm YTL Pacific Star Franklin Heng, 44, died on Dec 30 in Singapore after a liposuction procedure.

Is it worth it?

First homemade and handmade lip balm project

2010-01-11T07:02:00.000-08:00

Over Christmas and New Year's I made two types of gorgeous 'chapsticks' one Caramel flavoured and the other Apple, Strawberry and Lemon flavoured. Made out of cocoa butter, sweet almond oil and beeswax. All natural and the beauty is you don't need to reapply all the time like you need to with Vaseline. One application can last you up to 8-12 hours unless you eat and lick your lips as the aroma is like the real thing.

Caramel lip stick

Caramel & Apple, Strawberry, Lemon lip balm

It's really important to get the right amount of ingredients in and at the right melting points otherwise the lip stick would melt when in hot weather or if you were to leave it in your handbag etc and also it won't roll up and down the stick nicely without being stucked or just break.

On another note, congrats Zain on the 'Everything's gonna b allright' project. Loved the idea and the timing of it, wished I could be there to support you but instead I'm getting my B*#t frozen here. OH and also they got your age in THE STAR paper wrong!

Cravings alert

2010-01-10T08:27:00.000-08:00

Since my sister and family went back to Malaysia, I've been relying on some ready-made stuff she left for us. But last night I was feeling some chicken rice and so decided to make some. How'd it go? Not bad, hehehe and this came from Ahmed. Used some instant chicken rice sauce for the rice, marinated the chicken with honey, oyster sauce and sweet soy sauce (cap kipas udang) recipe from mesra.net but I stucked it in the oven instead of frying *yups,you guessed it, new discovery for me,i know, I'm ancient at this!*. The chilli sauce was birds eye chilli with garlic blendered, lemon juice and tomato ketchup and the soy sauce was kicap manis and toasted sesame oil. The soup was chicken soup leftover in the over and I mixed it with more water with some perencah soup. Wah lah. No disaster, thank god!

So due to my good fortune last night am motivated to cook more dishes for Ahmed, plus he's got nothing to compare kalau tak sedap pun, suck it up lah lol love you to bits yang.

Doing some housecleaning today as we won't have time cuz I can't really do any heavy housework cuz of my back and my mom's coming next Sunday, so soon can't wait! mum, if you're reading this I've got a list to 'kirim' with you :)

Also Ahmed found his old body lifting equipment which he started doing since I've been criticizing how much he's gone soft from no exercise LOL he did 7 lift ups hahaha well done yang, that's how unfit you are! well same goes for me laa, I'm so unfit, need to hit the gym when I go back to Malaysia hahaha

Allergic reaction and Adam's independence

2010-01-09T01:18:00.000-08:00

Got my first allergic reaction last night and its weird because I had keropok ikan??? exactly!! which I've had all the time! so why now? no idea! don't think it was anything else I ate. I had cod fish soup with mixed veg and some cheese baked mix veg. All of a sudden I just flared up, every single part of me just felt hot and my skin started itching but when I scratched it was like my skin was burning then red spots just appeared on my face! crazy! took some anti-allergy meds n felt better 15 mins after. Thanks for a house full of drugs and to a family full of pharmacists and dr's LOL

So Adam's been staying with my IL's since my fall as I still can't bend and lift anything heavy. But we see him every night when Ahmed gets off work. It frustrates me a little at how independent my little boy is. He's least clingy to either of us and he rarely hugs or kisses anyone except for his jiddu (grandad) just hugs tho. He's getting real active which is great but he's not yet said a word. I'm waiting for his first word, be it in malay, arabic or english as he's already 15 months. But they say it's normal for a boy, plus he's probably trying to figure which language to answer us in. One more funny and weird thing Adam does, is when he gets frustrated (cuz he can't get what he wants) he starts hitting his head or banging his head on the floor or on things.

I don't know where he got that from. Nursery? It definitely didn't come from any of us or the tv. Also the TV doesn't do any good, it gets his attention for 5 mins then he's tired of it. Adam's an explorer. Which is good, but that means I need 4 eyes to make sure he doesn't get himself into danger. Gosh... maybe I should have another one to keep him company. hehehehe

But maybe not, after reading Natte's labour experience it just reminded me of mine and anything can happen in that labour room. Sigh... nantilah dulu

Seriously, I'm trying!

2010-01-08T05:08:00.000-08:00

My sunny side up egg looks like half omelet and half scrambled. My sambal just went crazy *maybe due to the heat of the pan, it was HOT and its pre-cooked sambal not something I whipped myself* I just started choking and coughing on whatever that's brought upon the sambal in the pan and I burnt bits of my roti canai *which only needed heating up in the pan*

I stronly believe cooking is a talent and if u don't have it, just depend on other people who have it lah. Gawd roti canai je, drama like crazy!

I can't cook for crying out loud! stress!

2010-01-08T04:48:00.000-08:00

*sigh* like what the hell just happened?? left some ikan bilis in the pan, frying on heat no. 5 just for like 2 mins, and went back and everything was burnt, the oil turned black and yellow and it gave off an acidic smell.

argghh choking off the burnt smoke in the entire living room. Thank god no one here to witness this.

New year, new beginnings, new look...

2010-01-08T03:11:00.000-08:00

The blog lah, I still look the same, maybe with one or two hidden wrinkle waiting to appear I'm hoping only when I reach 60 hehehehe

2010 Resolution *notice it's singular*

To have this blog as my DAILY journal so that in 2011, if I'm still alive that is, insyallah, I will be able to reflect upon my past year and make sure I don't regret anything I've done or decisions I've made.

Finally my mum bought her tickets to visit us! Yeay *jumping in joy in my mind, as my back still hurts*

Oi! Malaysians will be slapped with a RM1200 visa per entry?? ape cite woi!!!

2010-01-05T14:21:00.000-08:00

My titles like takde kena mengena with the pics I post right. Well randomness.

Hannah teaching Adam how to read the menu

Rare moments - usually one will be pushing the other or pulling another's hair lol

Gosh snowstorm coming up...

2010-01-05T14:06:00.000-08:00

Thanks to Hawa and Kols for being a wonderful host and hostess. Your hospitality will be forever remembered! Great food great company, couldn't have imagined spending that week somewhere else. Missing you guys much and hopefully ade rezeki to go again when the weather permits as we would like to do some sightseeing as well hehehe

The mommies and the babies

My bestfriend

My family

Adam giving Hannah a big hug

Pose everyone!

Happy New Year 2010 everyone!

2010-01-04T12:51:00.000-08:00

Hey, wishing everyone a happy and prosperous new year may a new year bring a new beginning to everything and good luck to everyone who's made new year resolutions. May you all achieve it!

I've given up on new year resolutions, cuz I think I'll make targets to achieve not within a year but within reason and realistically within the reach of MY horizon. There's still so much to blog about and I've not had the time cuz since Glasgow, it's been back to back with London trip with my sister's family, then my nephews and nieces coming to Kettering (so busy entertaining the kids). Will put pics up when I have the time as I'm typing with half my back bent *but still can blog rite LMAO* over as I can't stand up straight cuz I fell of my home steps last night. Perfect timing! *NOT* FIL and SIL are both unwell and caught in their own medical dilemmas and to top it all off I had to fall of the steps, and I hit my tailbone real hard. As a result, I can't move, am bedridden, am on painkillers and having Ugly Betty marathon (which is not so bad). I can't even send Adam to inlaws house cuz I need someone with me as I can't move, so they've been on shifts coming to look after myself and Adam. Aiyoo! seriously!

Right now am missing my mum terribly and wished she was here :( but hopefully she'll be able to come soon... can't wait! I need some TLC as Ahmed's working almost everyday including Saturday's cuz he's been off for quite some time... 3 weeks to be exact (including holidays, public holidays, sick holidays and being snowed in)

Happy Birthday to my FIL, Aini and congrats to Nanie on yr wedding!

Nur Kasih marathon

2009-12-21T03:52:00.000-08:00

Got hooked on it cuz of Shasa and daymn was it good! loved the story line except for the ending, didn't quite understand why

*spoiler alert- do not read further if you have not watched and plan to watch*

everyone wanted Nur to marry Aidil? She was definitely capable of working and was young too remarry. So I don't get it!! and Islamically also I think it's wrong for the mum and Alia to suggest that to Aidil, psycho!! do u know how hard it is to balance a polygamied (if that's the right word for it) life!! you need to be fair at all times, in time, money, feelings and treatment. Even the best of women still felt jealous at times of the other prophets wives let alone women nowadays laa right?!

But was glad that Nur and Adam finally got their happy ending! Even got Ahmed hooked on it, but had to be the translator the entire time. Now he wants his family to watch it.. isn't there Nur Kasih with Eng subs out there? anyone?

Happy Birthday to my dearest two

2009-12-13T02:57:00.000-08:00

A. Frances 11th Dec and Arina 13th Dec

Wishing that the both of you will achieve what you've wished for and may you be blessed in everything you do.

Love you gurls! xoxo

On another note, Glasgow looked very much like in the UK, architecture-wise. But it's also real cold and foggy here but on the bright side Adam's got two friends Hannah and Sophie to play with. He absolutely loves their co. and they eat together and bathed together. It's sooo cute!

Last nite Hawa cooked Sardines with telur dadar and sup ayam, simple but sedap, had that for lunch dinner and breakfast this morning! hahaha and today's menu is ayam masak merah with sayur masak lemak. yeay!!Pics will follow later :)

We'll be leaving for Glasgow, Scotland tomorrow

2009-12-11T01:31:00.000-08:00

To visit my best friend Hawa and family. Can't wait to see Hannah and Sophie and for Hawa to cook all her best cuisine's for moi!! yeay! thanks awe :)

N its gonaa be freeezing there!

Mum, hope ure having a blast on the Caribbean cruise and my dear Aunty Frances, Happy Birthday!

Love you both very much!

Life is short

2009-12-10T01:19:00.000-08:00

so if things don't work out, then they don't. Why fight? I don't get it. Just remove the element that causes the unhappiness. Right?

Wrong... Sigh... Because there are things which are worth fighting for and there aren't so we need to be smart to pick our battles and make sure we win them :)

OMEC dinner

2009-12-05T11:38:00.001-08:00

What's that? Exactly my Q. OMEC stands for Overseas Malaysian Entrepreneur Council and now they've just formed OMECYES, yups the extra is Young Entrepreneur Section and I'm on the committee! :)

So got to London on Thurs after dropping MIL to the airport, she's left for Sudan for about 3 weeks. Then went straight to Shasa's at Fulham Broadway, campak bags and went straight to Westfield to meet her there. I've never been to Westfield but it reminded me of Pavilion which was nice, the point was to buy a dress for OMEC dinner but obviously ended up buying shoes, a coat and a few tops from Uniqlo. Spent a fortune.. sigh

But I absolutely loved the dress and thanx Sha for accompanying me shop, we had dinner at 'Jom, Makan!' had nasi ayam, it was quite nice but the rice was too soft and didn't quite make it for me since we paid about GBP8.50 for it.

Then had classes yesterday, and I made toners, exfoliators, and body butters! Real interesting!! Got back to Sha's and we were rushing since she just started work as she got her visa 2 days ago. Got there in time though and met many lovely people, esp those in the pic. It was a good night with nice food and a lil dancing after :)

Today we made, nourishing nail oils and gels, cuticle oils, anti-acne creams and gels and varicose creams and gels!! So there's lots in store for all of you out there looking for the best quality top raw materials and all au naturale, the characteristic I'm most PROUD of!!

Wait till the website's up and running and you can start placing your orders :)

Also there was this brand we were forced to try cuz of the sales peeps called soap & co. Their products were the thing to shine your nails that we have in Malaysia, Sweet Almond Oil for the cuticles and Dead Sea minerals for the hand lotion and guess what, Sweet Almond Oil came in eighth in the ingredient and dead sea 11th on e ingredient. rigggthhhhhhhh

Happy Birthday Awe, ure 26 now, finally...

2009-12-02T01:06:00.000-08:00

When she told me they were coming to the UK cuz Kols (her husband) was gonna continue with a PHD, I was over the moon.

It can be quite lonely here in the UK despite all the added benefits, but at the end of the day you miss what's constant and variant in Malaysia.

Hawa, we've been friends for 13 years now and we've had our ups and downs but I'm glad we are whr we are now. Thanks for your support and never ending advice.

Cant wait to see u soon :)

Raya Haji Weekend

2009-12-01T09:14:00.000-08:00

'MSD dulu jom Sha' said I to Shasa, cuz MSD had a small makan2 for eid but we already had dinner plans wd Azz, Dina, Jeghui, Smoque, Liza, Amir and another friend of theirs, forgot his name :)

was so worth it as the sup kambing and the kuah asam was the bomb! I crave for food u can get in Malaysia all the time.

*adam's watching tv as I type with full concentration it's so funny* looks like some power rangers show

then continued to dinner at masala zone, food was alright bt company was good :)

This weekend, my course was on types of skin. Dry, oily, sensitive and combination. We made Body and Face Oil and face serum for each skin type. Real interesting!

On Sat nite, spent a good nite in Shasa's crib, learnt how to cook udang masak lemak from Faezah and sup sayur wid so'un, pisang kering, n dont remember the name of the other ingredients lah. Then we played New Moon!! BEST GILEEEEEEE. Faezah won! and at the same time had a karaoke session too. So cool laah sha nye karaoke set!! so gona get it!!

n my gurls back home, esp pnb gurls, we can skip red box n come to mine, as this karaoke set can have most of the latest songs!! yeay!!

Had dinner wid El, Sal, n Ain at this Caribbean place called Cotton at Exmouth Market, stop at Mount Pleasant ( this is to remind myself as I told the bus guy Mount 'pleasure' AND he couldnt stop smiling)

Adam developed a real bad nappy rash over the weekend. When I got back, tried to change his nappy and put lah E45, Adam cringed and started crying like crazy and was almost shivering. Wow e45's really not good!

N on that list, goes Vaseline, Nivea, Oil of Olay and E45 guys BECAUSE OF its dead ingredients mainly being mineral oil, liquidum paraffinum and the like

We got Virgin broadband, tv and phone line and now we've officially moved out and into our sweet lil boudoir! yeay

P.S. mum missing u loads and hope u can come in January

OMG I've finally done it!

2009-11-25T08:57:00.000-08:00

Yups yups yups Alhamdulillah I've completed my course in making 'Natural Products' and I'm certified to make own shampoos, conditioners, lotions, eczema creams, psoriasis creams, moisturisers, eye gels, cellulite gels, lip balms, deodorants, face mask, clay cleansers, hand and foot creams.

I'm truly excited and energised by the knowledge that I've been yearning the past year. I'm finally there and the journey's not over yet! Insyallah I still have my making my own mineral make up course next year!

Thanks to Izyan for making the first customised order. "Rose shampoo and conditioner" Oh you still need to let me know, what type of hair you've got and what you'd like it for? i.e. nourishing, itchy scalp, dandruff, hair growth etc etc

I know the exact ingredients that suit each of those categories and am soooo excited to make my own concoction!!

Mine will be with non other than with Argan Oil, Olive Oil, Coconut Oil, and Caramel scent and few ingredients for volume and hair growth *wink*

Can't wait!!!!! ;)

Adam's 1 year ol' milestones

2009-11-08T00:35:00.001-08:00

Blogger better not crash anytime ever! cuz this is like my space diary with Adam's development. LOL even if I had a physical diary mesti hilang lah. Confirm. So hopefully when Adam grows and he knows how to read, he'll be able to read stories of himself and laugh about it. I hope so... lol hope he won't find it embarrassing, oh well! :)

Ok when I left Adam for Malaysia 6 weeks ago, he could walk, had 2 small teeth, was still on the bottle, formula milk and on msian style porridge.

Now, he:

1. can walk, run and practically turn the house upside down

2. switch the tv off or the skybox

3. joins in people's conversation and laugh along as though he understands and is part of the conversation, hilarious!

4. still can't say any words except for mamamama, babababa, and few other syllable that comes out once in a while but he absolutely knows what he wants! for e.g. if he's had enough he'll shake his head or push away with his hand and if he wants more he'll point to the object and look at you straight in the face

5. copies what you do with body and face actions

6. is COMPLETELY OFF THE BOTTLE AND FORMULA MILK! now this is the most impressive part even for me lah. Like he drinks his fresh milk diluted with hot water from a cup. Even in the middle of the night I feel its so weird that I need to put him up right to let him drink from a cup. LOL

7. still has 2 teeth only at the bottom and doesn't look like anymore are coming out anytime soon

8. doing so well at nursery, siap ade geng lagi. When I dropped him off there was a boy his age who looked like Mowgli from Jungle book waiting to receive him lol so cute

9. sleeps on his own, doesn't need the bottle, pacifier or bantal busuk

10. knows that I'm still his mummy albeit me being away from him for 6 weeks yeay!!

It's been 4 days since I've been back in Kettering

2009-11-08T00:16:00.000-08:00

and as usual there will always be a hallow in my heart whenever I part with my mum. I guess that's the child-mother-bond that will always be there no matter what.

Not one day goes by without me missing my mum or wishing that we could be closer to each other. But for now my place is here with my husband, to support him mentally and emotionally. So insyallah Allah will protect my mom and my family from any harm in any way, especially that we're so far away from each other.

Mummy, we miss u and love u very much. Please do take care of yourself, till we meet again! :)

P.S. not that long pun, January right? hehehe

My MAC crashed!

2009-11-02T18:06:00.001-08:00

After a year and a half! that's like crazy right! I thought MAC's were supposed to be POWER laptops, I mean at least longer laaa than 18months!

So, what happened? my hard drive just sizzled, according to the technician. Could be due to over heating. Couldn't save nethin' Aaaargh stress and I've not backed up my MAC for a couple of months.

So yesterday got it fixed:
Bought a new hard drive wid 500gb space from my previous 12ogb
Upgraded to a 2ram thing from 1ram. What does it mean? don't know, he said it's better and faster
Upgraded to MAC OS Leopard 10.5.4 from 10.5
Bought a Belkin Cooler - real lightweight and travel size. LOVE IT
Bought an extended USB port with 4 hubs
GRAND TOTAL... CHA-CHING= RM650 Was it worth it? Will never know will I!

Downside now, don't have iLife, iWork, Microsoft Office. But I barely used iLife, so I can put that on hold but would definitely love to get the latest iWork and latest Office 2008 for MAC. Should I buy or someone can help me install?

Topic of conversation at a family gathering

2009-11-01T05:50:00.001-08:00

One of the topics that drew extra interest in me. Kuwait men abusing, raping and finally not paying their maid's salary. To what extent is this the truth and to how many Kuwaiti men does this apply to? Apparently to the point that the Indonesian government have stopped allowing Indonesian maids going to Kuwait. That must be quite a substantial number?!

But this led to someone raising the issue of having 4 witnesses in Islam before one can report rape against someone (obviously, this would apply to the women, it'll be a weird one if a man got raped, right?)

So I know there's a reasoning behind that, that applied to those times, but I forget what it is. What do you think and can someone help clarify this issue. I mean if it was just that with no reasons, it does sound unjustified and unreasonable and outrightly cruel.

So I do believe there is an explanation to that.

You know when you're feeling...

2009-10-30T04:39:00.000-07:00

down and sad... it affects everything and everyone around you. What do I do?

Tickled my funny bones 10*over

2009-10-30T02:47:00.000-07:00

"CUCI THE MUSICAL"

Yups you guessed it right! Such a great and hilarious production.

My reviews:

Fresh story line, given that I have not watched CUCI the Movie. Backdrop and props suited the production well and the main actors and actresses were amazing! They were sooo entertaining that I couldn't stop laughing throughout the entire 3 HOURS show and even if I wasn't laughing my heart and liver out, I was definitely smiling from cheek to cheek till my facial muscles all hurt towards the end of the night.

The dancers were average or less than average, could've done a better selection. I'm not discriminating but maybe there's not much choice out there for better looking and taller dancers. Also they needed a little bit more practice to perfect their moves as it would've looked better if the they were more in sync.

Awie's voice was husky and sexy. Damn him for being so desirable on stage. Same verdict goes to Hans Isaac! but Afdlin was the most natural and comfortable on stage. It's the first time I've seen him life and oh boy he just oozes talent. AC was quite good but I thought he spoke to fast and so it I kept missing things he said especially with the audience laughing their heads out.

I would give it a 5 star and well done Malaysia for being able to produce an excellent and enjoyable show. I would absolutely go watch it again if I had the time! oh Awie and Hans...

Also had great company with me that couldn't have made the whole time more enjoyable! :)

China - Yunnan - Kun Ming, Dali, Lijiang, Zhong Dian aka ShangriLa

2009-10-26T22:57:00.000-07:00

For the first time after marriage I've had some time to go on a holiday with my beloved mummy. Adam and Ahmed are both in the UK. So sorry you guys couldn't join this trip maybe another time ok? :) and plus the holiday wasn't suited for babies and Ahmed, you would have probably puked with the state of the toilets.

So, last Friday my mom and I embarked on our journey with Apple Tour to these 4 places in Yunnan province. I was excited and really looking forward to the trip as I've not traveled with a tour group since eon years ago and I've never been to anywhere else in China except for Guangzhou for a business trip.

The flight was moderately comfortable with MAS and it took about 3 and a half hours to get to Kun Ming. I won't jot everything in detail as this entry will probably be like a short novel once I'm done but I'll write down the highlights of the trip, the unforgettable and memorable memories.

The best hotel we stayed at was the hotel in Kun Ming, to me it was probably 8* hotel with 8 different blocks that had different themes, and they're in the process of adding more blocks. We stayed in the European theme block. The whole hotel area was surrounded by man made lake and had a mixed hot water spring. Unfortunately, by the time we arrived the hotel is was probably around 9pm at night and in a knackered state. So we settled in and just stayed in the gorgeous room.

The best food, was Salmon steamboat in Shangri La. The best views were the Potatso National Park, Stone Forest and the Tiger Leaping Gorge.

The worse moments of the whole trip was the toilet. O.... M.... G.... SERIOUSLY!! The ones on the highway were the worse of em all. With the smell that stunk a mile away, the leftovers of everything possible in the toilets, the no doors but a thin wall that separated each cubicle at the height of my waist and worst of all, you dont even have your own hole to release your &%*# ITS A DRAIN that gets flushed every now and then and everything travels from the first cubicle to the last. GAWD!!! and apparently the reason behind 'no doors' is because China used to be a Communist country and so they wanted to prevent the people from gossiping. SERIOUSLY! toilet trip was the most excruciating thing through out the trip. I had 2 make sure, I had water in sips so I would have less toilet trips.

But other than that, the scenery was absolutely gorgeous! The tour was darn hectic but worth it I guess and if you'd ask if I'd go back, yups definitely but maybe later and definitely to Li Jiang.

Just be careful of the great salesmanship that will cause you to definitely buy whatever they're selling! The chinese are just amazing that way! something I took away to learn from the trip ;)At the apple orchid picking fresh apples, so sweet and so tasty

Potatso National Park

Tiger Leaping Gorge

Chinese Empress at DongtianBabu Studio Park

Stone Forest in Kun Ming

Stone Forest view from the highest point

Some cave - forgot the name LOL

Just before entering cave in Kun Ming

ASIA ESSENTIALS OFFICIAL LAUNCH THIS SATURDAY 31ST OCTOBER 2009

2009-10-26T22:39:00.000-07:00

Hi everyone, glad to announce that Asia Natural Essentials Sdn. Bhd. is having its OFFICIAL Com. and Product Launch, Argan Oil this Saturday. Details as below;

You are cordially invited to the

“Renew yourself with argan oil” beauty launch

100% natural and organic Argan Oil, traditionally used by the Berber women of Morocco in their daily beauty regiment, is brought to you by Asia Essentials. Come to our launch to find out more on this oil that has been branded as ‘Liquid Gold’ by The New York Times.

A divine afternoon awaits your vivacious presence

Light refreshments will be served

Date : Sat 31st Oct 2009
Time: 2.30pm – 6pm
Venue: Alya & Co, F18, Explore Floor, Starhill Gallery, Jalan Bukit Bintang, 55100, KL, Malaysia
Dress code: Semi formal
Kindly RSVP by: Tuesday 27th October 2009 at asiaessentials@gmail.com

Argan Oil by Asia Essentials will be having its OFFICIAL launch soon

2009-10-12T21:24:00.001-07:00

So soooo excited and so much work to do!! WOW! never been this stressed since godzilla times!

We don't have a permanent shop yet as we are slowly building up our products at the moment.

Hope our fans will continue supporting us.

And stay tuned for the time and date that'll be announced soon :)