3 Miserable Nights, 1 Memorable Event

Last week was so eventful, thus the next three entries are dedicated to cover all the ‘happening’ occasions - Aliff's 3rd time in the hospital, our 4th anniversary, Aliff's cukur jambul ceremony and brother-in-law's wedding reception (an army wedding not to be missed).

13th January, 14th January and 15th January 2007

Aliff was again admitted to the hospital. For the 3rd time in his 2 ½ months life. Pretty sad, isn’t it? This time around, it was due to bronchitis. He has been coughing for one week and has lost his voice.

That night, on the 13th January, Aliff was crying unconsolably. As usual, we suspected it must have been colic. Since it was time to give his usual dose of cough medicine and antibiotic, and not forgotten Dentinox for his colic, we proceeded in doing so, despite the cry. It was a wrong decision altogether. As we shove in the last medicine, Aliff was choking and gasping for air. His face has suddenly turned blue. My mother who was holding him that time panicked and shook his body to make him breathe. I was stunned (I think I forget how to breathe myself). Hubby being the knight in shining armour that night, immediately took Aliff from Mak, patted his back firmly till Aliff finally coughed. My maid then put his finger inside Aliff’s mouth to take out all the phlegm. Phewwhhh…It was a horrible sight.

Shortly after, we drove to hospital and yes, Aliff was admitted. In fact, he was the youngest baby in the ward. Aliff was on nebuliser every three hourly for three nights. But alhamdulillah, he recovered well and finally got back his voice, despite all the crying everytime he is on nebuliser.

As a result off constant crying, my usual placid baby is no longer calm and contented. He has turned into a fussy baby, much to my dismay. His brother, Ashraff was a demanding baby, so I thought I was lucky to have a happy baby this time around. Rupa-rupanya, harapan tinggal harapan. In fact, it is tougher this time around as we couldn’t find way to soothe him everytime he cries. The moment he wakes up from his sleep, he will coo for about 5 to 10 minutes, and then whines till he sleeps again. In the evening, things got worsen as it is his peak time for colic. At night, he couldn’t sleep well, again, due to his colic. Seriously, I’m exhausted especially now that abang dia pulak is down with runny nose and cough. Memang dugaan betul dalam membesarkan anak. If u look at me now, I’m slimmer than my pre-pregnancy figure…*LOL*..except for the apparent eye bag…and not to mention, skin break-outs…

17th January 2007

Four years ago, on the same date, me and hubby selamat diijabkabulkan.Four years later, we are still much in love and happily married. And now blessed with two sons, Ashraff and Aliff.

Happy 4th Anniversary, dear. Thank you for being a supportive husband and be there for me through good times and bad times.

Aliff's first hair-cut

19th January 2007

In conjuction with Awal Muharram and brother-in law’s wedding, we decided to have Aliff’s cukur jambul ceremony in Ponti@n. The ceremony took place after Isya’ prayer. Aliff was not in good mood earlier in the evening, as usual, can be due to his colic or just his temperament. For the past few days, me and hubby have given this a thought. We decided that no matter how Aliff behaves on the day, we are going to go on with the ceremony . So, we were somesort of mentally prepared to carry a fussy baby for the cukur jambul.

But, Allah knows what’s best for us. Few minutes before the cukur jambul took place, Aliff has decided to sleep…and he slept all the way…. So, the whole ceremony went on with peace, alhamdulillah. Here’s some pics of the day:-

The Star of the Night

Ashraff and Aliff

Abah giving Aliff a hair-cut

Mak Amp@ng's turn to cukur jambul

A hair-cut by Mak Pontian

A Wedding to be remembered...

20th January 2007

My brother-in-law, Kapt. Mohd Firdaus is finally married to the love of his life, Emy Mariati. The akad-nikah took place on 10th January 2007 at the girl’s house in Mersing. Later, the girl’s side held a lovely reception at Hotel Equatorial, Melaka.

On 2oth January 2007, another reception was held in my mother-in-law’s house in Ponti@n. Well, I can say the whole event was such a resplendent affair, unlike the common wedding you would normally see. Of course, it was an army’s wedding, thus full of formalities. If you don’t know or have never seen an army weds before, you should seek an opportunity at your very best to do so. Or if you are still single, do marry an army…find one that is Leftenan and above…*LOL*. And if you do marry one, oh lucky you!

Hubby, selaku tuan rumah menyambut tetamu-tetamu yang hadir (that's Abah and Mak Ampang by the way), menggantikan arwah Bah.

First, there was no kompang to accompany the bride and groom. Instead, the couple were assisted by bag pipers, which sounded so much like in the movie “Braveheart”, together with six sword-bearers. The groom i.e. my BIL and the sword-bearers were immaculately clad in a well-fitted official army’s suit. The bride was beautifully dressed in white lace bridal gown. Though I’ve seen my BIL countless times, I must say he looked stunning in his white army suit.

The bag pipers and the sword-bearers.

Then, the troop stopped right in-front of the house, and both the bride and groom walked underneath the shinning swords. I couldn’t keep my jaw from dropping the whole time. If not due to the heavy downpour, I’m sure the whole kampung will gather to witness such exceptional event.

The couple berjalan di bawah pedang. Kesian Emy kena jalan tertunduk-tunduk due to the rain. Sorry, angle is a bit off to capture the ceremonial event. Camera kena jaga takut basah-:)

Followed thereafter is the bersanding ceremony, also penuh dengan adat-istiadat tentera diraja Malaysia. The sword-bearers lined up besides the pelamin, making way for the selected individuals to menepung-tawar. Later, each of the sword-bearers "keluar baris" by giving "tabik spring" to the groom. Moi, still jaws dropping...


After bersanding, the couple went straight ahead to makan beradat. Nothing unusual here. I thought I can shut my mouth this time. But the food on meja pengantin looked yummylicious..my saliva was drooling. Thanks to Ayeem, our resident chef brought all the way from K@r@mbunai, Sabah…hehehe…He’s my hubby’s cousin.

Selesai bersantap, kedua mempelai dibawa ke hadapan 3-tier wedding cake for cake-cutting ceremony, accompanied by the sword-bearers and the bag pipers. They cut the cake berbumbungkan pedang yang sungguh tajam dan berkilat. Hati terpana melihat adat-istiadat tentera diraja ini…

Cake cutting ceremony. This amateur camera woman could not find a better angle to capture the moment. Giving way to the hired professional cameraman...

Later, it’s time for the bride and groom to bid farewell to bride’s family (by the way, the bride's father is also an army…Brigidier General to be exact) and the army troops. There onwards, the situation are more informal. My BIL was back to his normal cheeky self (kalau tak tadi serious je since dia kena berdepan dengan his army collegues, with all the formalities…I've never seen him seserious and setegas itu sebelum ini..). Both bride and groom, later confidently, entertained the guests by singing the song “Sandarkan Pada Kenangan”, later followed by another two songs – “My Heart” and “Tiga Malam”. Really sporting, I tell you. My BIL, as usual lah, very the confident one…And my biras i.e. his wife, suara ada umphh!…

Hubby pun taknak ketinggalan jugak. Dia pun sama menyumbangkan suara. 3 lagu lagi! Of course, his junior was with him all the time, looking impress that Ayah can sing…*LOL*.

I’m glad that the event went out well, despite the heavy rain (nasib baik air tak naik). So now, I got the chance to have my own nephew/niece now that adik ipar is happily married. Kalau tak, I’m the only orang harapan to produce cucu to both sides of the family. It's time for me to get some rest-:)

The whole hubby's family wearing red. Unfortunately, we could not snap photo together as we are busy (esp hubby and mak pontian) entertaining guests.

Hubby

Me and Ashraff

Aliff, slept comfortably in the buaian (cradle net?)

Mak Pontian and hubby's youngest sister (the only one left unmarried in the family)

Happily Bonding

Two brothers, happily bonding...

One after another...

Ashraff is currently 29 months old (equivalent to 2yo 5mo). He has gone through all his development milestones - physical, cognitive and speech. Let me see, he can now walk (in fact running most of the times), he can construct sentences, he has full set of teeth, he understands intructions (though he refused to follow sometimes)...and lately, he has started asking questions like "Ni apa ni?" in almost everything he sees. Or more specific questions like "Ni power rangers ape ni?", "Ni fish apa ni?","Ni rumah siapa ni?". Alhamdulillah, his development is normal and on track. So, by right, I could sit down and relax..but hey no! Now I need to move on and focus my energy on these areas pulak:-

Potty Training
Ashraff is still not potty trained. He's still wearing diapers 24/7. My cousin gave Ashraff a potty on his second birthday. But Ashraff never uses the potty as yet to do any of his 'business'. Or probably, we do not teach him to use the potty. I've read in books and useful websites that your child will show some signs that he is ready to be potty-trained and it's best to wait until the time comes to do the training. Let me see whether my Ashraff is ready:-

1. Is aware of the "need to go," and shows it by facial expression or by telling you - (He did tell us that he's having a stomachache everytime he wants to poo).

2. Can express and understand one-word statements, including such words as "wet," "dry," "potty," and "go" - (He understand more than one-word statements. He will say 'basah' only when his diapers dah bocor).

3. Dislikes wet or dirty diapers - Tengok dia rilek je kalau diapers dia basah. He will only say 'basah' when his diapers dah bocor. So does that consider disling wet diapers?)

4. Is able to stay dry for at least two hours or wakes up dry after a nap - (Alamak! Tak pernah pulak check diapers after nap. But usually in the morning lepas bangun tidur, diapers dia memang berat habis sebab we all still give him his milk when he's restless at night).

5. Is able to pull elastic waist pants up and down - (Oh, ni terror dah..*LOL*).

6. Ask to use the potty or adult toilet - (Yang ni memang 100% confirm takde!)

So, is he ready or not? I got to know that a mother waited when his son is 3 years old when he starts training him to use the adult toilet. Within one week, he's totally diaper-free, day and night! Her advise is to wait till dia betul-betul ready. But when can I know my son is betul-betul ready? Or am I ready to potty-train him?

Disciplining toddlers
Ok, I have to admit I do not have much problem in handling Ashraff until lately...right after Aliff's birth. He's physically aggressive which sometimes drive me and hubby's nerves up the wall. I've been going through the net, searching on good tips to instill good behaviours in him. The key word in disciplining toddlers is CONSISTENT. So, that is where my mistake lies. I'm not consistent.

I easily give-up or give-in to Ashraff's misbehaviours, especially after he does the same thing over and over again. Rasa macam berbuih mulut cakap tapi tak jugak jalan-jalan...So, lesson learnt, I need to be more consistent.

And then, there are lots of discipline techniques involved - time-out, distract and divert, ignoring tantrum, provide structure, positive reinforcement etc. Banyaknya! Sampai tak tahu mana nak guna and which is more effective. Plus, I've got a baby to handle as well. Pening!

Say "bye-bye" to pacifier
Ashraff is still fond of his "Ting" (pacifier). The reason why you have never seen him with his pacifier before is because he uses it only when he wants to sleep. So, that is another topic which I love to surf on the net. I really need to wean him off that thing the soonest before it disturbs his jaw alignment.

Well, there's always 1001 tips, advice, how-to for the three topics above. And the more I read, the more pening I become. But that does not stop me from reading about those areas. Sharing experience with other mommies is lovely indeed.

One thing I know is a mother (or father) needs a lot of energy to ensure her child is raised well...Phewww...*lap peluh kat dahi*.

Everything is so new to me

So this is the B.L.O.G that I always overheard Ibu telling Ayah all this while?! Very interesting...

Opps! Sorry for not introducing myself. Hi, it's me ASHRAFF. Today, I managed to use this computer without Ibu's knowledge. Ibu is not feeling that well, so I took this opportunity to use her computer and search for her BLOG. Wow! I can see that she's been writing a lot about me and sharing my photos with all her cyberfriends.

The last entry she made, I can see that there's new human being's photo being posted there. Yeah, it's ALIFF. People told me that Aliff is my little brother and I should love him like I love Ibu and Ayah. Okay, everything caught me by suprise and I'm confused by these new changes in my family. First, there's moving creature inside Ibu's tummy, which Ibu encouraged me to talk too. Ibu in fact told me that his name is Aliff. Well, I love talking to this little Aliff.

Then one day, Ibu was admitted to the hospital. Atok Abah and Atok Mak brought me to the hospital to see Ibu. I greeted Ibu as she was pushed out from the labour room using a wheelchair. Ibu was happy to see me. She said "Hi Ashraff!". I replied "Hi! Ibu shakit (sakit)?" How did I know Ibu is not feeling well? Tok Mak has briefed me number of times on the way to the hospital, that's how. In the room, I noticed Ibu macam nak nangis je. I don't quiet understand why. But when Ibu told me that "Malam ni Ashraff tido dengan Tok Mak ye", I started to feel sad myself. I've never slept with anyone other than Ibu before. But I just nod my head coz I understand Ibu has to rest at the hospital as she's in pain. Tok Mak cakap Ibu sakit sebab keluarkan Aliff dari dalam perut. But where the heck is Aliff?

The next day, I was brought back to the hospital. I bought along a gift which Ayah told me is for Aliff. What's so special about Aliff till he deserves this gift? As usual, I was greeted by Ibu's warm smile as I walked inside the room. But this time around, I noticed a small cot besides Ibu's bed with a little baby sleeping soundly inside it. Is that Aliff? I walked slowly to the baby cot. Ibu said "Ashraff, ni Aliff." Tok Mak carried me so I could get a clearer sight of Aliff. Merah-merah muka dia. Keciknya dia. Then, I gave Aliff his gift. To my suprise, Aliff had a gift for me in return. It's Barney VCDs! Oh, I'm excited. Thanks, Aliff.

The next two days, Ibu was discharged from the hospital so she could go home. Yey! But, wait a minute. Ibu is carrying that little creature by the name of Aliff. And what's that boy doing snuggling at Ibu's chest? Ibu said "Aliff nak minum susu". Minum susu? Mana botolnye? Boy, am I curious? That moment, I was introduce to breastfeeding by Ibu. I still don't quite get it but what I know Aliff got his source of milk by latching on to Ibu's breast. Ibu told me "Ashraff dulu pun macam ni". Huh? Yuckss!

That day too, I suffered from a runny nose. I really need Ibu's warm touch to comfort me. I want Ibu to carry me. But Ibu refused to do so. Ibu said "Ibu sakit, tak boleh dukung Ashraff". I cried "Ibu dukung Ashraff! Ibu nak dukung!" But Ibu just shook her head. Oh yes, I'm crying and I noticed Ibu cried as well. I heard Ibu said to Tok Mak "Mak, kesiannya tengok Ashraff..Dia nakkan Ija (that's Ibu)". Oh well, this is all because of Aliff. Aliff lah yang buat Ibu sakit macam ni. Kalau Ibu tak sakit, mesti boleh dukung Ashraff.

With the presence of Aliff, I never got to sleep with Ibu at night. Ibu told me gently "Aliff ni kuat nangis waktu malam. Ibu takut Ashraff tak boleh tido. Ashraff tido ngan Tok Mak ye." Aliff ni, ada-ada je. What more could this little creature do to me?

Not enough with me having to sleep with Tok Mak, I also noticed Aliff seems to be clinging to Ibu 24/7, so I didn't get the chance to be with Ibu alone like before. Everytime I ran to Ibu's room, Aliff is always clinging to Ibu's chest, either he's breastfeeding or sleeping on Ibu's chest. Ibu told me "Aliff ni sakit perut, so dia kena tido macam ni. Dulu Ashraff masa baby pun tido macam ni jugak." Oh, whateva...like I can remember...

There was once or twice when I ran to Ibu's room, Aliff was nowhere to be seen. In this case, I would ask "Mana Aliff?". Aliff is either with Tok Mak or Bibik. I took this opportunity to be with Ibu. I will lie on Ibu's lap, kiss Ibu, hug Ibu. I miss her dearly. Nevertheless, I noticed Ibu makes an effort to be with me, despite Aliff's clinginess. She would accompany me to watch my favourite TV series. She would read me my favourite books, while Aliff is breastfeeding. She would give Aliff to others so that she could 100% concentrate on me. Kesian Ibu..She looks tired. I also found that I'm closer to Ayah, Tok Mak, Tok Bah and Bibik now that Aliff is always with Ibu.

Everything is so new to me though I live in the same house with the same people. I felt I have to do something to get people's attention, or else it will be Aliff, Aliff, Aliff. Some of the things I did:-
1. Pecahkan tutup teko Tok Mak and bunga kaca Tok Mak. Tok Mak was very angry with me. Dia ambik serpihan kaca tu and toreh tangan Ashraff. Sakitnya! I cried loudly. Ibu tengok aje I kena marah. No one wants to help me. Later, when I've calmed down, Ibu told me not to do it again. Ibu said "dulu dia pun kena macam tu lagi kecik". I wouldn't dare to touch on Tok Mak's things again.

2. I turned to a more fiercer young gentleman. If before, I've known by my family as a very social person, now I'm no longer that friendly. I hate it when people look at me when I play with my toys. I noticed people would look and smile at me while I played and talked to my figurines. Read this, I HATE IT. The next thing you know, I'll come to you, tell you straight at your face "Jangan senyum!" and kick your leg. Numerous times, Ibu, Ayah and Tok Mak have scolded me for kicking people around. There was once, Tok Mak tied my feet and left me in Ibu's room all alone for 10 mins. I cried my heart out. I then promised Tok Mak and Ibu not to tendang-tendang lagi, but do I keep to my promise? No, I don't.

3. I will disturb Aliff everytime he's sleeping or breastfeeding. I will smacked his head. Initially Aliff cried whenever I did that. But lately, he doesn't seem to care. Probably he's immune to what I did.

4. I want to be a baby again. Kalau Ibu tak boleh dukung, then Tok Mak and Bibik are forced to carry me. I want to be bath in a basin just like Aliff.

I don't know what happened to me. Whether I like it this way or not, I do not know. But I do admit, I'm jealous with the all the attention Aliff got, especially from Ibu.

But ironically, I do adore this little creature by the name of Aliff. I found him to be cute and amazing. I like to kiss him, whenever I got the opportunity too. I showed him all my Ultraman's figurines, and he looks at it with amazement. If before, Aliff spends most of his times sleeping, now he can interact with me. I always said "Aliff tengok Abang Ashraff". And he'll look at me and start cooing. When he does that, I'm very much thrilled. Kadang-kadang Aliff akan mengeliat, and nampak macam dia buat Ultraman hand/pose. I told Ibu "Ibu, Aliff buat Ultraman hand" and Ibu will laugh. Ibu said "nanti Aliff dah big, Ashraff boleh main dengan dia."

I like Aliff's eyes, it's black and shining whenever he looks at me. I feel like poking it with my fingers but Ibu disallows me to do it. I will also pulled Aliff's hands and legs and Ibu will yell everytime I did it. I just want to play with him. He's so small and fragile, just like the "baby cat" we have.

I guess it took me quite sometime to adjust with the new surrounding. I could now accept that Aliff is my baby brother. After all we share the same surname. Kalau Ayah tanya "Ashraff bin apa?" I would reply "Ashraff bin Mohd Fitri". Aliff? "Aliff bin Mohd Fitri jugak." Kalau Ayah tanya "Ashraff handsome macam siapa?". I would say "Handsome macam Brad Pitt." Aliff? "Aliff macam Beckham." Ayah said it's because Aliff's hair is like Beckham. I do not know who's Beckham, but I do know Aliff's hair is like Fiq from Mentor.

Well, do I still feel jealous of Aliff? Oh yes, I do. And do I still do unexpected things to get people's attention? Oh yes, I definitely do. Can I share my toys with Aliff? Not now!

Opps, guess I've written long enough. It feels a lot better to be able to express my feelings by writing. No wonder Ibu is sooo addicted to blogging! Anyway, Ibu will be back soon. She'll be suprise to read this entry. Well, I hope she knows what I'm feeling when she reads this. So, long B.L.O.G!

A new member in the family!

Dear B.L.O.G,

It's been a while since I write any entry as I was on my maternity leave. I just came back to the office yesterday. Oh, how I miss you dearly. You know I can only write to you at my office as that is the only place that I can get connected with the cyberworld for free.

I've got good news to share with you. Alhamdulillah, we have a new addition in the Fitri's family. He was born on 2nd November 2006 via normal delivery. Here is his first photo:-


NAME : ALIFF BIN MOHD FITRI
DATE OF BIRTH : 2 NOVEMBER 2006 (10 SYAWAL)
TIME OF BIRTH : 9.17 P.M.
WEIGHT AT BIRTH : 3.39 KILOGRAMS
LENGTH AT BIRTH : 53 CENTIMETRES
PLACE OF BIRTH : AMPANG PUTERI SPECIALIST HOSPITAL


Yes, now I have two boys, Ashraff and Aliff. Plus hubby, it makes three men in the family. I'm definitely outnumbered!

Ok, let me tell you about the labour first. The first blood "show" I had was on 31st October 2006 at around 5 p.m. That night, hubby drove me to Ampang Puteri to check on my condition though I do not have any contraction as yet (kalau ada pun mungkin tak perasan). I was dilated for 2 centimetres and was told by the nurse to come back tomorrow to see my gynae for further check-up.

I couldn't make it on the 1/11/2006 as Fitri's cousins was staying at our house that day and as a host, takkanlah nak tinggalkan tetamu pulak. So, 2/11/2006 was the day that we saw Dr Fauziah. No progress. Still 2 cm dilated. Still no contraction. But since the blood sign has been showing for the past 3 days, Dr Fauziah decided to induce the labour to avoid any infection and complication later on. Alamak! The word "induction" scares the hell out of me as Ashraff was born the same way. Punyalah sakit walaupun bukaan takdelah besar mana. But Doc knows what's best for me and the baby so I agreed on the induction.

To cut the story short, labour was easier and faster this time around. All in all, I suffered from the unbearable pain for only two hours i.e. from 4 cm dilated till the birth of Aliff. But I can feel the pain really bad this time cause I do not use any form of pain relief except for the gas. Not that I don't want to but doc said the dilation was fast so tokleh nak use any drug. I have also trouble pushing Aliff out from the womb. Rasanya adalah dalam 5-6 kali jugak push baru Aliff keluar. With Ashraff is just one go je. Sama macam Ashraff, Aliff was also born on Khamis malam Jumaat.

Aliff, I can say, is more contented as compared to his brother. Dia pun jarang nangis. Mandi and pakaikan baju takdelah nangis macam abang dia. So, I can finally try baby massage on Aliff after bath, which I can't do it on Ashraff. He also loves to be swaddled unlike his brother. Though contented, he has trouble sleeping at night. Actually siang pun sama. The thing is he has a lot of gas in his tummy so that is bothering him from his sleep. Kesian tengok dia. Ibu ngan Ayah pun kesian jugak sebab kena take turns jaga dia waktu malam.

My super duper achievement with Aliff is that I manage to exclusively breastfeed him so far. Memang penat the first few weeks but I persevere as I am more than determine to breastfeed him as long as possible. So, I don't know how he can be so gassy. Must be from my milk. I tried to eliminate all the gassy foods in my diet but it still does not work. Nampaknya I have to wait till Aliff is 3-4 months old where his stomach and intestines mature. Bersabar jelah...

With breastfeeding as well, Aliff suffers from breastmilk jaundice. Twice admitted at the hospital - first when he was one-week old and second when he was one-month old. Several blood tests has to be taken every week till the birubilin level dropped. Up till now, he still have that yellowish sight at the corner of his eyes but doctor said there is nothing to worry about as he should fully recover soon. The most is 10 weeks. As for me, I have to forgo my own health to ensure Aliff is free from jaundice. I was refrain from consuming any jamu. Since Aliff still has slight jaundice, sampai sekarang jamu masih tidak bersentuh. I hope in two weeks time, I can start taking jamu.

Here's a confession I would like to make as a second-time mum:-
1. I've never been this tired before. Having more than one child can be overwhelming at times especially when both the toddler and the baby needs your attention at the same time.
2. I thought I'm used to sleep deprivation but no I'm not. Since Aliff is a restless sleeper both day and night, I'm more sleep deprived than having to take care of Ashraff alone.
3. Breastfeeding is a breeze. It's easier to breastfeed your second child, probably due to your experience and maybe you have upgraded your knowledge in that area and are more prepared.
4. Second child is not a carbon-copy of his brother/sister. They have different personalities and characters. So, you got to learn how to deal with this new individual in your life. You still have to make decisions in dealing with them like do I need to use pacifier this time around, or buaian to make him sleep? Do I put him to sleep on his tummy like his brother or just a swaddle will do?
5. I learn new things in my life which I thought I know since I'm not a first-time mum. But this new child teaches me new things. Like with Ashraff, I learn the definition of "high-need" baby or demanding baby and how to deal with them. With Aliff, I know what is breastmilk jaundice.
6. I still read about the milestones/development of an infant in the baby book or the internet eventhough I have gone through it with Ashraff.
7. I've learn how to use the baby sling as I believe baby-wearing has lots of benefits. Aliff looks a lot more contented in the sling and I can breastfeed in public discreetly. And it's also a cost-cutting measure since we do not have to invest in two strollers.

Anak adalah anugerah dan amanah yang diberikan Allah. Not only am i determine to fully breastfeed Aliff, this lady would also want to be a more patient mum to both Ashraff and Aliff. That's basically my resolution for year 2007-:)

1 MONTH OLD ALIFF
WEIGHT : 4.4 KILOGRAMS


2 MONTHS OLD ALIFF
WEIGHT : 6.0 KILOGRAMS

Ashraff's new obsession

Nowadays, Ashraff is so into ULTRAMAN. So, Ibu and Ayah did some research and found out that Ultraman itself has different characters or names - Ultra Q (the first Ultra series), Ultra Seven, Ultraman Ace, Ultraman Taro (yang ada tanduk tiga tu), Ultraman Leo, Ultraman 80, Ultraman Tiga, Ultraman Dyna, Ultraman Gaia, Ultraman Neos, Ultraman Cosmos, Ultraman Nexus, Ultraman Zenon, Ultraman Mebius, Ultraman Hikari and Ultraman Zearth.


Currently, Ashraff has around 10 Ultraman's figurines courtesy of Nanny Pip, Atok Abah, Nek Lon and Aunty Tini. As for VCD collection, we have Ultraman Dyna, Ultraman Neos and Ultraman Cosmos. And this UltraBaby of ours has the ability to differentiate one Ultraman to the other. On average, he’ll insist to watch Ultraman at least twice a day – morning shift and afternoon shift. And his victim is always his Atok Abah, because he’s the only one who is patient enough to watch the CD over and over again while without fail explaining to Ashraff each and every scene.

In the evening, again Atok Abah became the victim as he was forced to drive to nearby Giant as they sell Ultraman's figurines there. So almost every evening, Ashraff and his grandfather akan berkampung di Giant.

At night, Ashraff will persuade me to open Ultraman's CD so he could watch for the third time but I came out with 1001 excuses not to do so. Sometimes it works, but sometimes I have to give in to his request usually after an outburst from him. Personally, I don’t quite encourage him to watch the series coz I find it a bit too violent for a kid his age. I could not recall who introduce him to the character in the first place but the first Ultraman's VCD was bought by ME..that's after I could not stand waiting for him to have a look and belek-belek the CD for umpth time. Thereafter, he's always on the look out for new Ultraman's VCD and that character becomes his obsession now.

So, day in and day out, it's Ultraman with Ashraff. Even if you do not count the number of "Ultraman" he mentioned, you'll surely know that it's the most repeated word in a day...beating "Ibu", "Ayah", "Susu" and "Play". That is how obsessive Ashraff is with that character!

One thing good about his new obsession is we can use Ultraman to encourage him to eat, sleep, drink milk and taking a bath. Like "Ashraff kena makan kalau nak strong macam Ultraman" or "Ultraman dah sleep so Ashraff kena sleep jugak." For the time being, this trick works. I do know what it'll be in a few months time...*LOL*.

Few Ultraman poses from Ashraff..

Being a Mother...and Hubby's Birthday Gift

I received this lovely email from a friend yesterday. And I just have to blog it as I found it to be so true!

-Somebody said it takes about six weeks to get back to normal after you've had a baby.
That Somebody doesn't know that once you are a mother "Normal" is a history

-Somebody said you learn how to be a mother by instinct.
That Somebody never took a three-year-old shopping

-Somebody said being a mother is boring....
That Somebody never rode in a car driven by a teenager with a driver's permit.

-Somebody said if you're a "good" mother, your child will "turn out good".
That Somebody thinks a child comes with directions and a guarantee.

-Somebody said "good" mothers never raise their voices.
That Somebody never came out of the back door just in time to see her child hit a golf ball thorughh the neighbour's kitchen window.

-Somebody said you don't need an education to be a mother.
That Somebody never helped a fourth grader with her math

-Somebody said you can't love the fifth child as much as you love the first.
That Somebody doesn't have 5 children

-Somebody said a mother can find all the answers to her child-rearing questions in the books
That Somebody never had a child stuff beans up his nose or in his ears.

-Somebody said the hardest part of being a mother is labour and delivery.
That Somebody never watched her "baby" get on teh bus for the first day of kindergarten.

-Somebody said a mother can stop worrying after her child gets married.
That Somebody doesn't know that marriage adds a son or daughter-in-law to a mother's heartstrings.

-Somebody said a mother's job is done when her last child leaves home.
That Somebody never had grandchildren.

-Somebody said your mother knows you love her, so you don't need to tell her.
That Somebody isn't a mother.

So mothers, do you agree with me that the statement above are all true?
I know it is, thanks to the young lad below...



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Added today at 4.00 p.m.

I am tempted to share what I've given hubby for his birthday. He wanted a pair of futsal boots, but I've given him something extra...A PERSONALIZED BIRTHDAY NEWSPAPER!!.


He was thrilled and impressed. Tak sia-sia my hard effort. Ehem..ehem...if you are thinking of getting something similar for your loved ones, you know whom to contact, right?! *wink* .

I do not plan (yet) to make this permanent product for C.M.O.G as I don't think I'll able to commit due to my tight schedule but if you want something like this, I can try to come out with something for you. Just email me at rafiqah_eliza@yahoo.com
But, do tell in advance ye!

Note to hubby : Futsal boots tu nanti kita cari sama-sama yek...

Declaration of Guilt

I've got a confession to make…

Today is the first time I skip from fasting!

Am I frustrated? Oh yes I am…But then, the experience I had yesterday was unbearable so I decided to skip one day. Yesterday, as I reached home, my body was aching and I was gasping for air…mengah semacam! Might be due to the long walk from the office to Putra station. And then another round of walk at Ker@mat’s Pasar Ramadhan. The weather was burning yesterday while we Jalan-Jalan Cari Makan at the Pasar, so as I was dehydrated and could collapse any minute. After iftaar, I had a bloated tummy and could not walk properly. Rasa pedih sangat!

This is the first time I have to go thru fasting month during pregnancy (Ashraff dulu ‘jadi’ bulan puasa and born three months before puasa..hehehe). I am somesort of mentally prepared to face the extra lethargy and prayed that I’ll be able to go thru bulan puasa at ease. Tapi kecundang jugak di tengah jalan. In fact, Hubby advised me to skip from fasting today as he’s worried about my condition. By the way, is it advisable to fast when you are pregnant?

I just hope I’ll be able to minimise the ‘puasa leave’ I have to take and make full use of this holy month to beribadah. Pray harder, Rafiqah...

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Just received this photo from my cousin – A Picture of the Four of Us.


This three are my closest cousins– from left, The Artistic Emi, The Twins Tina & Tini and Moi. We are basically one year apart, with me being the oldest (also the oldest cucu of Khalid’s clan – my mother’s side), followed by Emi and then the Twins. Since the fifth cucu came four years after the Twins were born, so the four of us are basically stuck together in almost every family occassion. Masa kecik dulu, tak pernah miss ambik gambar berempat!

But time flies…All of us have our life partners now (with Tini being the last to marry i.e. this Raya). So, the four of us decided to include our partners (and junior...sayang Tina tak bawak her 'junior') in the “Picture of Four of Us”.


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Psst...I've just added the photos of our Bandung trip here!

A helper is finally here...

My maid has finally arrived last Tuesday (19/9/2006). She came from Surabaya and has 10 children of her own, which is like 1 year apart (imagine that!). Married at 14 years old, she is now like 36 years old (but I presumed she is much older).

Unlike my old maid, this time around there is language barrier between us. But I would not blame her since this is the first time she is working in Malaysia. Previously she has worked in Saudi Arabia for 7 years. It is really a great help to find someone who has experience working since she knows what to do without having us to tell her each and everything. Cumanya, she still need to learn to prioritize. For the past one week, what I noticed she mostly concentrates on doing housechores rather than taking care of Ashraff or at least concern about Ashraff's regular schedules like nap time, milk time, eating time etc. Kalau disuruh bagi Ashraff susu, barulah dia bagi. Kalau disuruh tukarkan pampers, barulah dia tukar. I guess I have to ask my mother to remind her to take care of Ashraff's need rather than anything else, despite me telling her once.

As for Ashraff, I am relief that he is the 'cepat mesra' kinda boy. So, so far everything went out smooth between him and his new Bibik..except when it comes to sleeping routine. When it comes to putting Ashraff to sleep, he only wants his Tok Mak or his Ibu to lay down beside him and lull him to sleep. Not anyone else. Kat sini yang payahnya. Kat sinilah datangnya manja dan mengada-gadanya budak Ashraff. I still have no idea on how to rectify this problem. Probably the best way is to let Bibik stay with Ashraff alone, so Ashraff is not given any opportunity to choose. But, am I ready for that?

All in all, nak ikutkan Bibik baru ni lebih memeningkan as compared to my old maid. Language barrierlah, prioritization of work lah, meeting Ashraff's emotional needlah. But I guess 7 days is too early to judge her. Hopefully in one month time, she'll improve. Hubby said the most important thing is improvement. Kalau takde improvement, lagi pening kepala. Especially with the new baby expected to arrive 2 weeks after Raya.

To all my fellow Muslim out there, SELAMAT MENYAMBUT BULAN RAMADHAN YANG MULIA.

What a weekend it was!

Last weekend, we had a fun blasting time at Genting Highlands, something which hubby and I have planned to do just before Ramadhan and the arrival of our new bundle of joy. After all, it’s been such a long time since we had holiday together. Genting Highlands was less crowded as compared to the trip we had more than 3 years ago i.e. our honeymoon, which took place during the Chinese New Year Holiday. Never, never pergi Genting waktu Raya Cina…

Everything was in accordance to our plan – left my parent’s house early in the morning (takdelah early sangat, dalam kol 9.30 am), had breakfast along the way, reached Genting at around 11.00 am, enter Outdoor Theme Park, had a jolly good time for 2 hours plus there, naik rides sana sini, tangkap gambar macam nak rak dengan our new toy, checked-in at Theme P@rk H0tel, just in time for Ashraff’s nap time. He slept for 3 hours! In the evening, we paid the Outdoor Park another visit, photo here and there again, then proceeded to Indoor Theme Park for dinner, took our first family ride in the Park, which is the Rio Float. Hubby was all excited to take the picture of Ashraff in the ride when BAMM! The unexpected thing happened! The newly purchased camera showed the sign “Memory Card Error” for no apparent reason. He tried to turn off the camera, and turn it on again but the same signal came out. Masa tu both of us dah hilang mood.

As soon as the ride was over, we rushed to the nearest photoshop. To our dissapointment, even the shop could not read our memory card. We tried to get an explanation on why this happened but they could not come out with satisfying answer (anyone knows what’s the problem?). By then, I know that the photos taken earlier were all gone! Frustnye toksah nak cakaplah…Rasa macam nak nangis. The salesman told us that the memory card can still be used if we reformat it. Kalau reformat maknanya dah sah hilang sume gambar, but what to do…we decided to reformat it anyway. Unfortunately, reformat pun tak jalan! Meaning which, not only there’s no hope to recover the photos, but we can’t in fact “re-use” the memory card for future photos. Tensionnnn!!

Somehow or rather we decided not to make the frustration took over the fun we had earlier, so we decided on few things…at an extra cost, of course. First, we had to buy a new memory card. Since we are at oh-so-pricey Genting, so memory card pun mahallah jugak. Secondly, we decided to go back to Outdoor Theme Park tomorrow morning just to follow the trail we had yesterday and re-take all the pictures. All in all, it costs us RM200 more than what we budgeted. Apa boleh buat…gambar punya pasal…

So, lepas dah recover dari perasaan sedih dan frust, we spent an enjoyable night at the Indoor Theme Park till 1 a.m. There’s this one ride which we found interesting, Ride De Paris, which is only open to 3 years and below. It’s a line of small cars meant for kids those age that moves according to its track (sorrylah, I’m bad at describing things). At first, kitaorang takut nak bawak Ashraff naik coz unlike all the rides before, this time around we could not accompany him. What if in the middle of the ride, he cried or struggle to set himself free? Lama jugak kitaorang i.e. the not-so-confident parent, dok perhatikan ride tu..boleh ke tak boleh? Tetiba this active toddler of ours shouted “Nak naik car! Nak naik car!”. So, we decided to give him a try. To our surprise, bila the lady manning the ride letak je Ashraff in one of the cars, dia terus tak pandang kitaorang kat luar. Puas we all called his name, but he refused to look at us. The steering wheel seemed to mesmerize him.
Thus, for the whole 7 to 8 laps, memang dia tak pandang luar langsung. Sibuk main steering wheel and pushed all the buttons they had inside the car.

Bila habis je ride tu, all the other children semuanya willingly stepped out of the car except ours. Menangis-nangis “Nak main lagi, Nak main lagi…”. Satu kerja pulak nak pujuk dia lepas tu…

The next day, our mission to go back to Outoor Theme Park is accomplished. Except for one thing - hubby will not want to go back to the “Flying Coaster” he took the day before mainly because of the ticket price..like RM12 per ride…and according to him, the ride is thrilled but scary…Thus, no picture of him ‘in action’. The rest, we managed to re-capture the exciting moments on camera. Of course, the luckiest and the happiest person throughout the trip is *drum rolling* ASHRAFF! He got to enjoy these rides all over again - the antique car, the plane, the choo-choo train, the spinning tea cup (yang ni Ashraff cakap “Naik minum”..hahaha) and play in the children’s playground. The second time around we eliminated the need to ride those what we consider as boring rides to Ashraff like the slow Merry-Go-Round and the Carousel. And this time around, the photos we took might not be as many as the one we had earlier, but it is more, how should I put it, errr…comprehensive?

Broke!

It's the month of September again! And like every year, I foresee that I'll be broke by the end of the month.

Let me see...I got Hubby's Birthday on 15th September...
Followed by my sis's birthday on 17th September...
And then 3 days later, on 20th September, it's Mak's birthday...

Belum beli hadiah lagi...and still have no idea what to buy. But still have to buy something for the three important people in my life.

Darn! That's it. Didn't I tell you I'll be broke by the end of this month?!

Set Selepas Bersalin - Yang Mana Satu?

Probably it's too early for me to ask this question as I'm only 31 weeks pregnant. But too think of it again, I do not want to make the same mistake as I did with Ashraff the last two years.

Throughout my pregnancy with Ashraff, all I care to learn was anything and everything got to do with pregnancy and labour ONLY. I neglected the post-natal part like taking care of your baby, yourself and how to breastfeed exclusively. Thus, as soon as Ashraff was born, I felt that I'm overwhelmed with his presence and at the same time I have a strict confinement regime I have to follow.

Since I’m basically clueless, my mother and my MIL were basically the people who dictated me on what to do and what to take to ensure the well recovery of my body. They were also the one who helped me a lot in handling Ashraff. Mak(s), what will I do without you… As I’m the type of person who believe in good confinement regime to ensure a healthy body when we are old, thus I just followed obediently on all the instructions given by my two fellow mothers. Nasihat standard orang tua-tua - Kita perempuan ni kena jaga badan betul-betul, kalau tak suami lari… Hahahaha…

At that time, I resorted to using and consuming the post-natal set my MIL given me. It was prepared by my hubby's aunty for just RM50. I have no complain on the price of course coz it is relatively cheap as compared to the commercial brands we have in the market. But one drawback is the jamu is in powdery form. So, I had to mix it with water, add a lil bit of honey and drink it. Though I had no fuss on the daily food I have to take for 44 days (which turns out to be tasteless/plain), perintah berkurung dalam rumah selama 44 hari, bertungku, bertangas, berurut, berbarut, berbengkung dan mandi wiladah for the next 44 days, I did complain on the taste of the jamu that I had to consume. MasyaAllah, memang pahit sekali! I ended up consuming it for one week only and then I stopped. Memang tekak tak boleh terima! Jadi, lepas berpantang pun badan tidaklah rasa sesihat atau sesegar mana.

So, this time around I want to be more prepared. I have somesort of made up my mind to purchase Amway's Tropical Herbs set. Actually I'm in love with the bengkung that comes together with the set. A cousin of mine who gave birth last February used this bengkung together with Amway's ointment (that also comes together with the set) and she got an impressively flat tummy after two weeks of birth. Envy, envy...Unlike her, I used the traditional 10 metres long bengkung which required an assitant should you want to wear it properly so you can get a good result like my cousin's. Bila dah takde orang nak tolong, I ended up pakai sendiri so tak berapa ketat sangat. Jadi lepas dah habis pantang pun perut masih mengeleber. Actually perut masih lagi mengeleber till I got to know I'm pregnant again..hehehe...So, Tropical Herbs set is in my list.

However, this set contains only two jamus for internal consumption. I don't think it's enough. Or is it enough? So, I was thinking of buying another set focusing on the internal part. Let me see, we have commercial brands like Salindah, Sendayu Tinggi, Set Bersalin Manja etc, etc, etc in the market. I seriously do not know which one to choose. Anyone here want to share with me your experience and knowledge in this? Any set selepas bersalin yang elok dan sesuai untuk ibu yang menyusukan anak?

Finally...Our Bandung Trip...

It was a long delay in writing about our Bandung Trip (excitement pun dah kurang) as I kept on forgetting to transfer the picchas in the PC. Tak syoklah kalau takde photos! Anyway, this is what happened during the whole trip...Please ignore the date at the photos...it's hay-wired!

Thursday, 27th July 2006
We arrived at LCCT at around 6.30 a.m. It was my first trip to LCCT and to my suprise it is quite a distance from our KLIA (though they share the same runaway). Our flight should supposedly depart at 7.45 a.m (notice i use the word 'supposedly'?). Ashraff was wide awake and excited by then. Ibu had this mixed feeling - happy sebab dapat jalan2 ngan Ashraff and nervous sebab nak bawak Ashraff naik plane for the first time.

We were also a bit anxious on whether we will incur excess baggage’s charge as Bibik's stuffs were A LOT, i tell you...Let me see, she's checking-in 5 big and heavy bags and hand-carrying 1 sling bag and 2 paper bags. It was a handful! Alhamdulillah, tak excess baggage. It helped to check-in as a group.

In the departure hall, we got to queue at the so-called ‘VIP’ line as we are flying with an infant. This will give us the advantage to choose the best seat in the flight. Dapat tepi tingkap lagi syok. Tiba-tiba, the AirAsia’s staff stopped and asked me whether I am pregnant or not and if yes, whether I have filled out a form at the check-in counter. Huh?! Takde pun. The staff at the counter noticed I’m preggy but did not ask me for anything (except for my passport). So, the whole family has to wait in line while I have to fill up a certain form. By the time I finished filling up the form, the ‘non-VIP’ line dah takde orang dah, maknanya semua dah board the plane. Damn! There goes the opportunity for us to be able to seat together!

Just as expected, memang kitaorang terpaksa duduk berjauhan dalam plane tu. Mak and Abah was far at the back, Ashraff was seated next to me, while Bibik was just across the aisle from us. To make matters worse, there was a one-hour delay in take-off, for only God (and the pilot) knows why. Imagine a toddler being strapped at his seat for one hour! Okay, he did enjoy the new jigsaw book I bought for him for the first 20 minutes.
And after that, he started fidgeting, followed by a struggle to set himself free. He started calling for Tok Mak and Tok Abah. I just had to let him go before the whole cabin cracked with his high-pitched shout. But the Air Asia’s flight attendant warned me to put him back in his seat as the flight is about to take-off anytime. Gee! Kau ni pernah ada anak ke tak hah?! So, I tried my very best and most creative ways to entertain Ashraff in his seat with my Bibik’s help. Sampai berpeluh-peluh..sebab Ashraff sekejap nak pergi kat Bibik, sekejap nak balik pada Ibunya. Kalau tak bagi, menjerit. Boring sikit, menjerit. Dia diri atas kerusi, look behind, saw Tok Mak and Tok Abah, jerit lagi. Since Ashraff was the only infant / toddler in the flight, so I presumed we managed to attract the attention (or irritate) all the passengers in the plane, especially the one sitting in the same row as me and Ashraff. Kesian minah tu, nak tido pun tak boleh!

After one hour of struggle, whailing and crying, the plane finally took-off. Diam sediam-diamnya Ashraff at that time, enjoying the moment. Hahhh…lega… And after that, lagi lega, sebab Ashraff decided to take a nap. But since it was uncomfortable, so his nap only lasted for 45 mins, which I hope would be longer. Though it was a short nap, but it managed to rejuvenate Ashraff and fill up his energy tank. So, there he was my lil lad lari sana lari sini in the plane. Sekejap lari ke belakang, sekejap lari ke depan. Sekejap pergi ke tok mak, sekejap lari ke bibik. And the best part, he wanted me to follow him. So this heavily preggie lady pun terpaksalah mundar mandir kat aisle tu. Memang glamer habis! The last 30 mins of the 2-hour journey, Ashraff has started to become restless again. He shouted “Nak tuwun (turun) bawah! Nak tuwun bawah!” What??! Macamana nak turun bawah? We were like 30,000 feet above the sea level!

So, there goes another round of a-mommy-trying-hard-to entertain-toddler session with Ashraff. All my efforts seemed useless as Ashraff is the type yang very persuasive and persistent. Kalau dia nak turun bawah, means he wants it there and then. Seldom we are able to distract him from his original objective. Or probably Ibu is just not creative enough. But alhamdulillah, mak and abah were there to help me handling Ashraff’s tantrum.
After 30 minutes, we arrived safe and sound at Bandung’s airport. It was a small airport, just like our Kuala Terengganu’s airport. After going through a long queue at the Immigration, we finally got to meet Bibik’s family – Ihsan and Syifa’ (Bibik’s children), Ihsan’s teacher and his family and Benny, our driver for the day. We then checked in at the lovely Sukajadi Hotel and straight away went for a lunch at McDonalds in Istana Plaza. My lil boy, probably due to overjoy has refused to eat even a little bit. He is more interested in approaching kids slightly older than him and started calling them “Abang” or “Kakak”, which of course, made them confused as they were not referred to as “Abang” and “Kakak” in Indonesia. So, lagi sekali Ashraff tak duduk diam. By this time, I was pretty much exhausted running around, chasing him. Patient level pun dah semakin menurun. I totally wished hubby was there so we could take turn in handling him. Abah was a great help but I felt guilty if I let the old man do the chasing.

After the short lunch, Benny sent us straight back to the hotel. At the hotel, it was time for us to bid farewell to Bibik Aidah. I cried, really cried. I can’t imagine myself crying just to bid farewell to an Indonesian maid, but I did cry. She cried too. Even Mak cried. Guess it was pretty sad to let go of a good employee. I told her to take care of her health and she advised me to be really patient in handling children (tau ler yang I ni bukan penyabar orangnya..). Ashraff was oblivious to the situation, though I tell him again and again it’s time to say “Bye Bye For Good” to Bibik. He did say “Bye Bye” and then rushed to a nearby fish pond. Oh well….Yeah, that was it. I was officially maidless after that.

We went to our rooms, which is situated very near to the hotel lobby and facing the swimming pool. All of us were extremely tired and sleepy, so we took a nap. It was quite a long nap for me and even longer for Ashraff. Dia macam tak boleh bangun, sampai kena kejut. Tau pun penat mamat tu…

At 6.30 p.m, we made our way to the famous Chihampelas Street, which is famous for its factory outlets for branded clothing like Guess, Elle, Gap, Old Navy and..basically any brands that you can think of. Ashraff was thrilled to see the shops decorated with murals of superheros like Superman, Batman and Spiderman. Ibu was even more excited to see branded goods in mark-down prices…hehehe…Apa lagi, boronglah! One advice for those who intend to visit Chihampelas is not to bring your stroller along coz it is truly not a stroller-friendly place (A ‘gendong’/sling will be more useful). Nasib kitaoranglah sebab terpaksa bawak empty stroller and took turn in carrying Ashraff at the same time. To let him walk by himself is dangerous coz the road is narrow and the traffic is crowded…and Ashraff memang susah untuk dipimpin. Oh yeah, one thing good about bringing an active toddler along will hinder you from buying more as you don’t have the luxury to browse through leisurely. Jimat duit…hehehe…

Ashraff in one of the shops at Chihampelas Street
Penat tak penat, we were there for two hours jugak. By 8.30 p.m., we were all very hungry. Abah teringin nak makan Nasi Padang. We tried to ask the local people where the nearest Nasi Padang restaurant. They recommended few places, but when we reached there, Mak macam tak lalu nak makan (probably due to the place’s condition) so we took a taxi and went back to the hotel to have our dinner. Again, budak kecik tu langsung tak nak makan. Asyik sibuk nak pergi tengok fish pond or the swimming pool. Nasib baik susu masih laku. So far, Ashraff is more active than the norm. Mungkin excited tempat baru kot…

We retired to bed at around 10.30 pm that night and look forward for a bright new day tomorrow…which apparently turned out to be more tiring….

Friday, 28th July 2006
Look alike granddad and grandsonWe left the hotel at around 10.30 a.m, after having breakfast at the hotel. This time around we decided to take “Angkot”, a 10-seated van that acted like a public minibus, to bring us to Pasar Baru. Though it was meant for 10 people, but the driver jam-packed the van with like 18 people?! Masa tu dah sesak nafas! But it was a great experience. Ashraff didn’t mind at all. He just gave his usual cheeky smile to other passengers.Mak, Abah and Ashraff in the oh-so-stuffy Angkot
A helpful local passenger indicated us where to stop to go to Pasar Baru. The “Angkot’ dropped us in the middle of a wet market, and we have to manouver our way to find Pasar Baru, which is actually an 8-storey shopping complex. Masuk je kat dalam complex tu, terus berpinar bijik mata. If the Chihampelas’s factory outlets cater for Ashraff and Fitri’s stuffs, Pasar Baru is definitely my place. The place houses lovely embroidered clothing, nice telekungs, beautiful bed spreads and quality fabrics at a very cheap price. Certain levels of the complex are dedicated only for souvenirs, leather bags and shoes. The very top level is the mosque itself so Abah managed to perform his Friday prayer there. Apa lagi, makcik sorang ni rambang matalah…

My first stop was to buy “baju hamil” for myself. I bought one long sleeve baby-doll looking maternity blouse and one heavily embroidered blouse for only RM40 each. If ModernMum or MotherClub yang jual, mesti dah ratus-ratus punya. Rasa menyesal tak beli a few more as at that time I was thinking I have only 3 months to wear these garments. Then, I bought myself few ‘after birth’ embroidered blouses and t-shirts. Mak bought lovely embroidered jubah putih which she intends to wear for umrah or tarawih prayer for only RM24! Then we proceeded to the textile area. There, we borong few “sulam tebuk” material for kebaya, paired with matching “kain batik”, mostly priced at an average of RM50, depending on the material. I also bought one hand-painted fabric for only RM45. Very cheap for a hand-drawn material! I bought one for my mother-in-law as well.

I have to salute Abah for patiently waiting for us and at the same time chasing after Ashraff, who is free without his stroller, while we do our shopping. Ashraff free as a bird in Pasar Baru
Word of advice - You may bring your stroller to this place. Ashraff then had his afternoon nap at the mall, while we had our lunch comfortably without having to follow his butt.
We continued shopping as soon as Ashraff woke up from his sleep. Borong lagi..dan lagi… Memang duit banyak habis kat sana. Soon, Abah got really tired and insisted on going back to the hotel. While waiting for the taxi, I managed to grab a good buy – a Muslimah swim wear – for only RM40! Cheap aye?!

At night, we took a 10-mins walk to Carrefour and Sogo, planning to find a good place for dinner there. The place was just one-month old, and banyak lagi area yang masih dalam renovation. I really like the interior there as the floors are made of timber wood. Something different compared to our Carrefour here. I am looking forward to come back in few years time and see how the whole building looks like as from the miniature model, it looks really grand. Ala-ala castle gitu!

We retired to bed at around 11.30 p.m., that was after a hard time forcing Ashraff to sleep as he was more excited to be at the poolside rather than going in the room. Ni lah susahnya kalau bilik berdepan dengan swimming pool.

Saturday, 29th July 2006
We took a cab to the airport at 8.30 a.m as we have to catch a flight at around 10.00 a.m. Phobia from my last journey with Ashraff in the flight, I kept on praying that things would be easier for me this time around. Alhamdulillah, Ashraff slept throughout the journey. We reached LCCT at around 12.30 p.m., welcomed by my lovely hubby who I have not seen for the past two weeks as he has to work in Sabah. Happy, happy, happy.

Looking back at the pictures I took, I had this one slight regret. There is no photo of Chihampelas Street or Pasar Baru. I guess it was really a handful to snap photos with an active toddler in tow, and not forgetting barang yang banyak di tangan. Kena-kena pulak I’m the only one who knows how to handle the camera. Lagilah susah… Well, kalau ada rezeki, I would love to visit Bandung again. The two days trip tak cukuplah. Banyak tempat tak dapat pergi. And this time around, I’ll make sure hubby is around!