Of our first anniversary trip

So this is the last night of our vacation in this beautiful country. Oh, I didn't really mentioned where we're going in the last post right? We're in Seoul, South Korea! And it's such a busy yet clean city. It's autumn here and the leaves are starting to turn colours. Really beautiful.

We had quite an experience here. Lots of things to see and done. But alas, it's coming to an end and we're still not satisfied. You see, we came with a group tour and everything is planned and packed into a schedule. So we can't do things leisurely on our own. Normally we would prefer a trip by ourselves but seeing that I'm pregnant and it's a country of barriers in language and food makes us choose to go with a tour group hoping to have a relaxing and hassle free trip. Then again, it's not as relaxing as I imagined coz we're rushing here and there to meet all the planned itinerary. Phew.

Earlier this morning, I planned to write this post with a few picture. But hubby didn't bring the cable and this hotel's room computer didn't have memory card slot. So I can't transfer any picture yet. I'll just have to update in Malaysia then. Which is if I can find the time,that is. Hahaha. But I will try, coz there is just so many things to share.

Salam from Seoul, Korea :)

Overwhelmed

Pernah rasa overwhelmed sebab terlalu banyak benda hendak buat dalam satu masa? Aku sangat rasa begitu sekarang. Lagi-lagi bayi kami ini akan menjenguk dunia lebih kurang 10 minggu saja lagi. Kalau ikut jangkaan full term la which is sangat berharap bayi ini full term sebelum dilahirkan. 10 minggu? *gasp* Kedengaran begitu dekat sekali.

Barang-barang bayi begitu costly rupanya. Baru ku tahu. Iye la, sebelum ini mana pernah membelek atau melepak di zon bayi kalau pergi shopping mall. Untuk satu pasang baju dan seluar newborn, paling murah pun RM14. Belum lagi jenama yang glamer-glamer itu. Satu hari newborn tukar baju berapa kali eh? Kalau beli lima-enam pasang sahaja, samada aku perlu basuh baju hari-hari atau pakaikan sepasang saja satu hari. Tapi kalau tidak tukar baju, masam la bayi aku nanti. Mana boleh, bayi aku mesti berbau wangi dan comel.

Hari-hari bila sempat akan menimba ilmu di internet mengenai bayi dan motherhood sampai aku jadi pening. Aku dah buat keputusan hendak fully breastfeed bayi ini nanti. Maka perlu bersiap sedia dengan breastpump. Oh my, sungguh banyak pilihan jenama breastpump yang ada. Jadi baca dan baca review lagi sampai pening. Akhirnya sudah memilih Avent Isis Manual dan sudah pun beli. Manual for working mum? Ya, kerana sepertinya breastpump elektrik ada banyak tiub perlu dipasang dan disteril setiap kali. Aku risau menjadi tidak sempat di klinik ini. Lagipun ramai juga orang berjaya dengan manual pump berbanding elektrik. Malah ramai juga yang dapat hasil lebih dengan perah guna tangan sahaja. Kita lihat nanti bagaimana. Adik aku pula beli Medela Swing. Nanti boleh la cuba dan bandingkan.      

Hari ini hari terakhir di Malaysia. Ewah. Tidak, bukan berpindah cuma meninggalkan negara selama 6 hari sahaja. Ibu mengandung ini tidak sedar diri mahu membawa perut buncit berjalan-jalan makan angin. Sungguh tidak sabar mahu menikmati percutian ini. Sebenarnya trip ini sempena ulangtahun pertama perkahwinan kami. Walaupun mengandung sudah 30 minggu pada hari ini, aku mahu pergi. Kiranya honeymoon berdua sebelum jadi bertiga. Lepas ini, kita honeymoon dengan baby. Yeay!

Ke manakah hala tuju penulisan ini? Biarlah merewang asal dapat melepaskan rindu menulis. Talian internet di rumah sungguh tidak memberangsangkan. Habis tu, rumah sewa di pinggiran bandar bersebelahan sawah padi. Ada sedikit capaian talian telefon pun sudah bersyukur. Fazrul ada bersuara hendak memasang streamix. Tapi nampaknya banyak keutamaan lain lagi. Jadi bagaimana hendak kemaskini blog? Mahu berblog di klinik seperti tidak patut kerana waktu kerja. Bukan seperti, memang tidak patut. Maka blog ini akan menjadi mangsa pengabaian sehingga bila tidak pasti.

Tetapi aku tahu pembaca-pembaca blog mesti suka baca blog yang constantly updated. In that case, I'm doomed.

On a whole new experience of Ramadhan

It is a new feel of Ramadhan this time around for me. For starter, I'm celebrating it as a wife. Then of course, I am with a baby. Seriously, I am so nervous about fasting during pregnancy. But Alhamdulillah, so far everything has been good. Except just that one day where I literally went so 'lembik' and could just lie down or else I'll collapse while waiting to break the fast at my MIL house.

I am entering 23rd week already and I am so thankful that the fasting month is during my second trimester. Not just the traumatic morning sickness of first trimester that I am worried about. But it is better now that the baby is much stronger and well past the dangerous zone of development. Now is just the time for the baby to grow in size. Ooh, did I mention that he/she is already jiggling around in there. It was quite confusing the first time I feel the movement. I thought it was just gas in my stomach. But then I lift up my shirt and saw my tummy move like something is bouncing inside! Couldn't be gas then. Hehe.

After that I am more alert as to when the baby moves. It was really exciting to feel the tiny fluttering or most of the time 'bouncing' in there. Sometimes I kind of get jolted in my seat because it's so ticklish and I feel like laughing out loud. And boy, laugh I did when I am in the privacy of our home. I love sharing it with hubby too. He will put his hand on my tummy and go 'Hah!' everytime this little one bounce. Remember how jealous I am of him during the first scan? Well now he is the one super jealous of me because I get to be with the bouncing baby 24/7. Ha!

Most of iftar and suhoor was spent at my mother's house or going back to in laws over the weekend. But last weekend was solely spent at our home. Thus, I get to be creative and in charge of the menu. I love weekend to try on new recipes coz it's more relaxing than to rush preparing meals after work. So few days ago, I stumble upon this blog with yummy recipes and decided to try one. The recipe was Mi Kari Nyonya and it was such a delightful success that I just had to share it here. So feel free to try it if you're a fan of curry mee. I sure am one. I have to say I made the decision to cook it just by looking at the yummy pictures. Heh.

I did tweak the recipe a bit in the condiments part. Instead of prawns and chicken, I put in cockles, fishball and fried tofu only. Also boiled egg and sawi celur (choy sum) (What's sawi called in english anyway?) Being a fan of curry mee, I seriously feel that cockles is still the best condiment to eat it with. Plus I pounded the onions instead of using blender coz I feel it will give the flavor more. This recipe makes enough for two person and if you like it spicy, just add 1 to 2 tablespoon more of blended chilli. The amount suggested in the recipe is barely spicy. At least for me. I'm obsessed with chillies! 

Mi kari nyonya anyone?

Dear baby..

We saw you for the first time. It was a really anticipated day. The scan was scheduled in the afternoon. We both took a leave that day and spent the morning wondering wonders. We arrived with joyful heart and were excited while waiting to be called. It was quite a wait. I brought a book, trying to memorize a dua' to recite everyday for you. Meanwhile, we amused ourselves watching other babies and toddlers having fun in their own ways while their parents are waiting too. We ponder how we would be one to you.

When my name was called, we both jumped out of our seat. This is it, we'll finally get to see you. More like see a glimpse of you of course. It's not a 3D machine or anything super. It's just an ordinary scan machine in an ordinary government health clinic. As long as we can make sure everything's fine, then it's enough for us. After all, it's only a few more months until we see you in person!

The nurse prepared me. Daddy was so excited, he's already aiming my compact camera at the screen. The doctor chuckled but surely he understands the excitement of a first baby. Then he said, 'There, can you see the head. And that's the spine. Tik tik tik tik (He was ticking the bones in the spine)'. The screen was facing away from me. I was jealous of daddy. The doctor showed everything to him. Even zooming at your small beating heart. They saw you moving your small hands too. I tried to crane my neck but still couldn't see the screen. Now come to think about it, I wonder why I didn't ask the doctor to rotate the screen for me to see. I guess I'm just too busy trying to keep still so they'll get the best view to see and print.

It was over too fast. But I'm happy that you're growing well and your size is just as expected for your age. The doctor was kind enough to print extra copy for us. We gaze at it happily and can't wait to show you off at friends and family.

We're scheduled for another scan after Aidilfitri. I can't wait again. This time I'll have to remind daddy, please rotate the screen for me to see too. Ooh, and I can't wait to start feeling you kicking in my belly. The pregnancy books said I will feel it any moment now. So grow well my dear baby. We love you already.

It's been 2 months. Ya, I know.

Oh my, it's been more than 2 months. So, where do I start this blog again?

I have a very good reason. Seriously I do. Maybe not enough to justify the 2 months gap though. But I feel otherwise. You see, I'm pregnant. 13 weeks and 5 days to be exact. Well past my first trimester now. Wow, I still can't believe it sometimes. Can I say it one more time again? I'm pregnant! Weee.

So, I'm one of the unlucky preggers who had the attack of morning sickness. I'm telling you it's brutal. Food became such an enemy to me and I absolutely ran out of things that I could eat or could even smell. Almost everything I ate will be vomited again. Such suffering for me, once the food-lover. But if I don't eat anything, this empty stomach will grumble and I'll feel sick coz it's filled with air and I get nauseous and throw up again. Only it's worse, because there's nothing to throw up but only air and some water from my stomach which tasted so bitter. Yuck.

Let me tell you one thing. Morning sickness is totally a wrong term. I'm fine in the morning. I don't throw up in the morning. I'm capable of doing my work at the clinic and have at least a light breakfast. I can eat biscuits with milo or vico. Sometimes good old bread slab with butter and kaya. It should be termed evening sickness instead because that's when it'll all start. I will arrive home in the evening feeling all weak and with such a headache. I become so weak that even performing asar prayer is difficult. Required every ounce of energy I have left. Then I'll collapse waiting for Fazrul to come home. Plus the hot weather doesn't help at all.

So I'm really not bothered to go online let alone to write in this blog. All I care about is to rest and sleep whenever I can. This past 2 months has been very challenging not just to me but Fazrul as well. God knows how patient and loving he has been with me. But Alhamdulillah, after the first trimester now the 'evening sickness' seems to subside. At least now I'm able to enjoy my favourite nasi lemak in the morning. Plus I don't vomit as much as before. The list of able-to-consume-without-smelling-weird foods has increases as well. Now I need to pick up healthy eating and gain the proper weight. Since becoming pregnant, my weight has dropped down instead despite the growing baby. Please pray for me and the baby dear kind readers eh.

I have few pending orders for crochet items as well. Have to send out an apology message for the delay to my friends soon. Eek. But right now, there's just so many blog to catch up and read. Bring it on!

Casual clutch

Now what do you think of this? Cute, isn't it?! I made it as a birthday present for a friend. Should made one for myself too, right? :)

I modify the pattern a bit by adding a strap. The pattern's author is generous enough giving permission to sell items made using her pattern (except mass produce). So I might offer some for sale here. Just watch this space to grab one :)

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On a husband's love

Yesterday I was fasting to make up for last year's Ramadhan (which was incomplete due to woman's matter mind you). So being a sweet husband, Fazrul fast along as well. It was our first time fasting together and though it may sound like nothing special, it does felt special to us.

I'm just touched that he accompany me fasting. In fact he's the one who woke up in the wee hour before Subuh and patiently try to wake this sleepyhead for suhoor. He fetch the water and some chocolate cake. While his sleepy wife groggily slumped on the daybed. All day I thought how lucky I am to marry this man.



Sayang, I love you



Round and cute. (Sayang, remember I love you =p)

Last week on wednesday and thursday night, we stayed at my parents' because my father was having a cataract operation. We went back to our home friday at late night and I fall asleep in the car (seriously sleepyhead =p). When we arrived, he opened the gate and front door lock but didn't went inside and linger in the car beside me. I was sleepy and did felt weird at his behaviour but I just shrug it off and saunter dreamily inside the house.

I switched on the light and thought 'Wow, the house is weirdly tidy'. Then my eyes popped open because indeed it is tidier than before and on the coffee table lay the sweetest surprise ever.



Turns out that he stopped by our house after work before going to my parent's house to fetch me where I was. He tidy up the house since we're going to Seremban on saturday and his parents might come on sunday and I was complaining that I could not find the time to organize everything before his parents come visit. Awww, I melt there and then.



My husband was full of surprises last week. He mentioned taking me somewhere on the way to Seremban and I begged him to spill because I couldn't wait to know. So he brought me to the shoe festival at PWTC. Can you believe it? He's like a woman's mind reader or something. He never fails to please me.



Never mind that the festival is not entirely up to my expectation. Seriously what is Jukebox doing there? Still I got a new pair of cute peep toe as a treat. Not Zang Toi la, somehow his shoes doen't appeal to me.



Santa Barbara Polo at 50% off. Sweet.

I'm just sharing this to say that how nice it is to be cared and loved by someone. How love can be expressed in simple ways even as simple as fasting together. How the exhaustive mind and body after a day's work is somehow rejuvenated upon seeing your other half at the end of the day. How great it is to know that someone appreciate you and accept you just the way you are. How you love to do everything together. How you would do anything to make him happy and how peaceful it feels to look into his loving eyes. I never understood this until I got married. I couldn't thank Him enough for granting me this love.

Thank you Allah. For a husband's love.

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