ANTICS OF A TWO-ABOUT-TO-BE-THREE YEAR OLD

Meet my latest craftwork :

My handmade sewing kit - the hanger yet altered.

Better looking with altered hanger, help from greatest hubby.

Close-up of elastic pockets for small items

complete with wrap band and button

for on-the-go sewing. KELASSSS gitu.... :)

Now the story :

1. She was playing wrestling with me and by purpose smacked her face onto mine. Ya, I play wrestle with my girl, so she would become strong enough to fight bullies (if any) at the Nanny’s, hopefully she is not the one.. hehehehe.

I told her – " Nada, avoid Mommy’s face.. Mommy kan baru cabut gigi. Gusi Mommy sakit."

Nada – "Gigi toilet?" ( I brought back my last molar which was extracted and placed it at the wash basin in the toilet)

Mommy – "Yes, the tooth is in toilet.. you saw, right. Sebab tu gusi Mommy sakit."

Nada – "Sapa buat?"

Mommy – "The doctor (read : Dentist)"

Nada – "Doctor !!! Issshhh... No-ne-no-ne-no-ne (start blabbering with fierce face as if cursing) . buatMommy! Rotan doctor.."

She’s imitating Mommy scolding the doctor just like Mommy does to console her when she complaint that the floor makes her fell down.

2. She was in her car seat at the rear passenger when Harris stopped for a red traffic light next to a BMW-Z4.

Nada – "Waaaaa.. Daddy, car banyak! Hahaha, car kecik! Daddy car besar." (Sambil-sambil buat muka berlagak, laughing to the ‘small’ Z4)

Mommy was relieved that the Z4 driver couldn’t hear her!

3. She recognizes Jalur Gemilang and it’s components as Tatu-leyse (Satu Malaysia). The first time I heard her saying was during Aidilfitri this year.

Whenever, wherever she sees the such, she’ll shout Tatu-leyse, Tatu-leyse. Be it the Giant logo, on coins or actual flag.

One day, she wore the t-shirt that I bought for her in Saigon… and she shouted “Tatu-leyse, Tatu-leyse. Nada, Tatu-leyse.. Daddy, Tatu-leyse..”

She met a kwailo sitting in Hotel Lobby in HK wearing the same t-shirt in blue color and went straight to the guy pointing to his t-shirt saying “Tatu-Leyse, same Nada” while showing hers. I think the kwailo also blur-blur..

I hope Najib Razak would not be ‘sour’ with my daughter for including Vietnam flag into the community of Satu Malaysia.

4. She sees or hears ambulance siren, she'll say.. MATIIIIIII.. She plays with McD toy of a girl riding scooter and acts as if accident occurred. She said... MATIIIII. I wonder if she really understand the concept of death. I don't remember ever teach her about death!

5. She says HUJAN as BUJAN. I tried to teach her - "HUUUUUUU - JAN". She repeats after me - "HUUUUUU-Bujan". I give up!

6. She likes soup… any kind and she calls it SOS. She likes soup with rice or mee or rice vermicelli. Upon having ……….., she will bring the soup bowl close to her mouth and slurp till finish. As parents to the toddler, we think it is still cute to do that for the age. So, we always try to capture photos.

Nada enjoying vegetable soup.

One night for a dinner, she did the same. Only thing, even before we picked up the camera… she told us… “ok, boleh ambik gambar”.. and brought the soup bowl to her mouth.

7. She’s excited watching advertisements on TV. It was LG Optimus that show a pair of parents shouting in bathroom if you could figure. She watched with big interest and shouted – HAH! SPANDER!...

O… Dear! I corrected her, “It’s spider…”

8. She is one baby with high awareness with surroundings. When she was about 13 months old or so, she made big noise when we were about one km away from our cousin's house Cik Byie. I couldn't figure out why in the first place.. but later understood that she was excited going to her second cousin's place, and she managed to figure out even a km away.

We tried to 'cheat' her by purposely walking towards our neighbor's house to see if she would be fooled and confused.. She was never able to be cheated even tho... you know... apartment houses, all doors look the same. She'll just stand still and that was when she's about 15 months.

The Kota Damansara tol house reminds her of Uncle Afiq, she'll shout "Ankeng Afiq- Ankeng Afiq" Whenever we are approaching it to go to our Cik Ra's house. What amazed me is.. she never mistaken with any other tol house.

Today, I was browsing the photos in my hard drive with her. Looking at this photo.. she said "Main dengan Ankeng Afiq". I asked her "Mana Uncle Afiq?" She showed me the carpet at the background of the photo and said "Nona" (what she calls Cik Ra).

As a mom.. I know exactly what she has in her mind. - The carpet reminds her of Cik Ra's house which brings her to Uncle Afiq.

I'm impressed.. that is so little carpet there, ok.

For the info : Uncle Afiq is her favorite uncle from Cik Ra's clan.

9. She’s always uneasy if Daddy’s not around. One morning she woke up looking for Daddy and asked me : "Mana Daddy". I told her – "Daddy went to JB, working."

With a complaint facial impression she uttered : "Ha… Pergi Cik Byie ? Nak ikut.. Main Abang Aqil."

Now.. when has Jay Bee turned to Cik Byie ?

little bit of that, little bit of this

the latest dress I made for my best friend's daughter I called it Zahra - the flow-ey dress

............. time sure flies.. December! it's Harris's birthday month. Soon will be January and it's Dew's birthday month. Oh.. oh.. oh.. she'll be three.. I mean THREE????

Update of my baby girl - she's now diaper-less.

We actually don't really toilet trained her. For one - Mek is lazy to make the trips for her to the loo. Top of it, Dew is still a baby with not much words. So, I kinda give reasons to myself because it rings in my ear that old timers always say - Cakap dah pandai macam-macam tapi kencing-berak tak nak cakap. I felt that we could escape ourselves from such impression and it's 'ok' if her butt is still covered with diaper since she doesn't speak much of 'understandable' language.

He he...

Her loo some four months ago.

Not wanting to be disturbed while doing no 2 but Mommy curik2 ambik gambar nie.

I was wrong though, when a baby is ready for toilets.. it will happen despite not much of coaching neither baby being so eloquent. As for Nada, it started with her.. herself, telling us she wanted to poop. Then I tried not to put diaper on and told her that if she wants to pee, she got to go to the toilet. It was Sunday afternoon that day when I dozed off on the couch while she was playing with her toys next to me. I was awaken by the too quietness of the room. (well, didn't it happen to you that you can still hear sounds even if you're sleeping?). The first thing I did was shouting - "Nada!!! where are you ?" She answered me.. Kensheng toilet mommy.

Awww.. all by herself.

She never had any wet encounter. Last nite, she slept through out with no diaper and woke me up at around 430am to go to the toilet. :)

Now, we have three packs of unopen Huggies diapers which looks like they will not to be used in near time.

Nada in Mommy's handmade Tartan Pleated Dress

Nada in Mommy's handmade The Sachs Dress.

That little shopping – HK Day 4

Having to stay and experienced Disneyland Hotel, I have to write a review about it. There are two hotels in HK Disneyland namely, Hong Kong Disneyland Hotel and Disney's Hollywood Hotel.

We are family...

We stayed in Disney's Hollywood Hotel for the reason of its’ cheaper rate compared to other one. There are several types of rooms of same hotel which were also rated differently. I chose a Sea View room hoping for uninterrupted view and not fronting to other rooms. Good instinct I had, we had a great view from our window!

However, the building is spread wide enough that even the fronting rooms has more than 150’ distance. So not so bad.

Braille equipped hotel plan

The architectural layout is straight forward with clean space formation that you’ll hardly get lost in it. Interior works is nice, neat and cheerful.

.

Exchanging cards?

Only downside I would say is the placement of reception counter. Bad design – with two huge column blocking. Apara… itu arkitek….

What a total blunder...having that two column

Their service is superb, which can easily be judged by the time taken for registration and other wise. Check-in only takes you 10 minutes or so and check-out merely 5 minutes!

The cream of Disneyland Hotel to me however is their detail attention to the needs of little ones. What else can I say.. It's DISNEYLAND ! Really makes me happy. During the check-in we were informed that the room is equipped with two compact queen size beds which are positioned detached from the side walls and being asked if we would want a bed fence to be fixed. I agreed. As a baby product junkie myself, I checked the brand of the bed fence. They use LINDAM….. Not bad, eh.

All toiletries and towels are provided in three for our room, and of course one is in a smaller size fit for our love, Dew.

The mickey mouse gargle glass are also in two sizes...

May be I have not stayed in many hotels enough to say, it was the only hotel thus far that I encountered such provision.

Bravo Disney's Hollywood Hotel.

We procured the Disneyland Stay 2 Days tickets, i.e promotion price to enter the park for two consecutive days by staying in the Hotel. Thus, Day 4 was still planned for Disneyland, but I didn’t intend to be in the park for the whole day long. What I had in mind was half day in the park and to head to Tung Chung which is just two stop away by MTR from Disneyland Resort MTR station for a cable car ride to Hon Ming 360 and a little shopping at the Citygate Outlet (CO)

So after check-out, we left our luggage at the hotel storage service and entered the park. The weather for second day in the park was so much pleasant compared to the first day. It was scorching hot earlier but second day was shadowed. Nice! By noon we had completed all the rides and some of Dew’s liking were ridden twice.

Fire extinguisher in Tarzan's tree house.

We were left with much recommended live show called the Golden Mickey which is the next schedule time was at 4.00pm. Harris and I were contemplating if we were to wait or not since we planned for the cable car ride. Errrrr, actually it was me whom contemplated… Harris abide my decision.

Giving a deepest thought, I decided to watch the show. We went all the way to HK for Disneyland, might as well get ourselves satisfied. Golden Mickey show is a live 30 minutes theatre performance casting characters from Disney productions such as Snow White, The Hunchback of Notre Dame, Beauty and the Beast, The Little Mermaid, Tarzan dan macam-macam ada. It was a splendid show.

However, since I have watched Disney on Ice live performance and other theatre shows like Sounds of Music, Cats, Saturday Night Fever, Stomp.... I would say Golden Mickey show is a friction of those.

Oooo… ya, my Ayah Ngah used to furnish me with two free VIP tickets for many of international live performances at Istana Budaya. (There is a myth told in my family that said I am my Ayah Ngah’s favorite niece…..) During that period Harris and I were ‘Bujang Senang’, so we never missed to make ourselves available for the shows.

We went to Tung Chung anyway after watching the show, though it was rather late. I thought never mind if we couldn’t make it for the cable car ride, let’s just roam around the CO.

Harris said.. I didn't jump high enough earlier. So, this one should be ok.. No? Give me a break! I'm an old 35...

Citygate Outlet is a shopping complex built across a highway linking HK city and airport with branded items factory outlets boutiques being it’s retailers. Some are Bally, Clarks, Armani, Kookai, Mango… bla bla bla… I can say they ARE factory outlets, unlike in Bandung which I couldn’t tell if a product is an imitation or factory outlets.

O.. come on! When two pairs of trousers are exactly of a same design, same material but with different brand label, can you say they are factory outlets. To me.. it looks more like a belasah-punya-immitation. Mek don’t like. I’d rather buy unknown brand.

I meant for myself a handbag, so purchased one. Among the many-many brands, we know Coach is always relevantly cheaper compared to other brands. And since it is factory outlets, the goods are offered at 10-15% lesser than the normal retail price. Mek kedekut… and chose between the ones that were offered at 50% discount. So, I just spent HKD1900. He he. Even so, I was going back and forth weather to buy or not. Punyala susah. Mek ni kampong skett..

Strange, when my cousin was going to further his tertiary study doing Medicine in Egypt recently, I dedicate him a bigger sum of money... double than what I spent for the handbag with no second thought. Not at all.. in fact I was so contend with my act. Nothing to brag about it, but that is to show spending money in different ways contend different people differently. There is no right or wrong.

Anyway, I can say the handbag was a worth buy and I always savor anything worth it. Mek berkira-berkira…. To buy one for my MIL or my Mok and my Mami. My MIL has three DILs, but whenever she needs a handbag she always ask from me. So it would be nice if this time around I get her a new handbag without she has to ask.. hmmm? And Mok… it will be so glamorous for her to carry a Bally, isn’t it? And if buy for Mok… Mami has to have too… right? though she just had one for Raya….

I also thought I should get a pair of Clarks for my one and only nephew.

Sadly, I do not have much time at CO. Trust me… I am not giving myself an excuse. I didn’t even get anything for Nada.

Harris was pressing me citing we had our bags at Disneyland Hotel storage to be claimed, though they never gave us any time limit. He kept reminding me that we still have to figure our way to next hotel we were to spend our next two nights in HK. My husband always like that one….

We left CO at around 8.30pm back to Disneyland to get our luggage. After 6 times of exchanging MTR, walk trough the long Mong Kok East station, a shopping mall (which I do not know what name it is) .. we arrived at Royal Plaza Hotel in Kowloon close to 10.30pm. Mek dah tak dapat rasa tapak kaki… perasaan nak terjun atas katil jek…

So, if I could have one more day in HK.. I want to spend that day at Citygate Outlet, Tung Chung.

Gambar pun sekeping ni je sempat ambik... This is the part where it crosses the highway...

Fun and Family reunite - HK Day 3

Plan for the day was to have fun in Hong Kong Disneyland.

Our tickets... check out Mickey Mouse brass print on the sewer line manhole cover.. so detailed.

There is no time difference between HK and Malaysia in terms of the ticking clock, however the daily atmosphere appeared to be approximately 1 hour earlier than what we are used to. It’s like West Malaysia and East Malaysia, if you know what I mean. For example if Syuruk in West Malaysia is at 6.30am, in East Malaysia is approximately 5.30am because the sun rises earlier to lands on the East of the globe.

6.45am in Hong Kong

So it is the same thing with HK. At 6.30am, daylight starts to show…. we no longer able to continue our sleep. Still it is only 6.30am, the locals so is the city is yet to awake, we turned out to be the early birds.

Just like the 2nd day in HK, our 3rd day started early due to mentioned factor.

After getting ourselves ready by 7.30am, we headed to Masjid Ammar and Osman Ramju Saddick Islamic Centre, located near to the hotel we were staying planning for breakfast and to return for check-out. Sadly, the Canteen (of MAORSIC) operation hour starts at 10am for weekdays. We were too early. I had planned for dinner at the same place upon our returned from Macau in the earlier but miss the boat too because operation hour ends at 9.00pm. Sigh…

We walked back to the hotel and had no choice but shoved ourselves with biscuits and energy bars for breakfast….. Again!

Mek… pantang sikit sebenarnya kalau tak sarapan betul2. Kalau nasi berlauk mok wok ada kat HK kan best.

Nada having breakfast by the window. One daddy's gal, eh.

I believe most if not all hotels in HK have shuttle bus service for their guests. We opted for it to send us to MTR Hong Kong station of which we would be opting the orange line to bring us cross the straits towards Kowloon side (i.e HK in mainland) subsequently to Lantau Island. The hotel shuttle bus service is very efficient and convenient. It’s punctual according to the time schedule provided by the hotel and bell attendant attends to our baggage all the while. What’s more rewarding.. it’s free! Bagus servis dia.. and tak pilih bulu. Mek tak bawak handbag LV pun.. And it is so very different from what I always hear about Hong Kees. I thought they are ‘commercially kiasu’ and lack of courtesy.
Again another reason to travel… to get to know people.

On our way to HK MTR Station

Once we were at the HK MTR station, we straight away looked for signage to ensure our way. Both Harris and I were dragging one baggage each on top of knapsack and carrier, we don’t want to make another small mistake that has the potential to ruin our day. Yup I didn’t tell you that on Day 2, we wrongly took an exit from an MTR stop just because we did not pay attention to the signage. It resulted to an extra 20 minutes walk to Shun Tak Mall where ferries depart and arrive for Macau-HK. Luckily, Harris figured our way out pretty well.
So, never take HK MTR system lightly for first timers. If I rate LRT in KL as 2, MTR in HK is 20. That much of a difference, hence it is a liiiiiiittle lacking if you go HK and do not experience the MTR. More or less going London with out the Underground.

Only by size, if you are standing in the middle of a train… you can’t really see any end of the long train. Harris calculated… there were 8 coaches at length of approximately 40 feet each being attached per each train run. That gives 320 feet or about 98m long. Hey, that’s his naked eyes judgement…. Don’t use it to answer any quiz about HK. Google for the facts if you really want to know.. but I don’t think he would run far.

Can you see the far end?

As for entrances and exits, each station has multiple and labeled with alphabets which is from and lead to many areas and direction. Therefore, paying attention to signage is crucial. You HAVE to know where you are heading to. Jangan nak try an error.. Penat jer nanti.

Knowing we were on the right track and having our Octopus cards ready (equivalent to Touch and Go card that we procured at the airport the night we arrived – tips given by a dear friend), we board the MTR orange line towards Tung Chung and to stop at Sunny Bay for transit to the pink line, i.e Disneyland Resort Line. Transit is peanut. It is at the same platform.

The moment we board Disneyland Resort Line train, it already gives us that magical-happy feeling of what Disneyland is all about.

From Disneyland Resort MTR station, we took the free shuttle bus to Disneyland Hollywood Hotel in search for my cousin Safrul whom had arrived at the hotel a day earlier than us so that we can put our luggage in their rooms since check-in time is at 3.00pm and we were still early. However, to our surprise… we need not have to do that, the hotel itself provides luggage storing service. All of the luggage were systematically sorted for whom were to check-in and also check-out. Very convenient.

We asked assistance from the front desk to look for Safrul. I wrote his full name MOHD SAFRUL ALAM on a paper and handed to the pretty lady.
She checked in the system and asked me : “Is there anyone by the name of MASARI?”
Hmmmm… Hati Mek teruuuus jadi sayu… Itu arwah ayah long Mek…., the much loved and it has been quite sometime that I last remember him.
I gulped and answered her – “Yes, that is his surname”

It crossed my mind that at times we are known by our fathers’ name.

She tried contacting Safrul’s room but to no avail. We decided to just go ahead to the park. Not after a while, only Harris realized Safrul had already text him much earlier but he didn’t notice. They had waited for us…. And of course we reconciled with them in the park.

I do not have to say much about the rides, the show, the parade, the landscape, the fireworks or the ‘castle’ of Disneyland, I guess. It’s just simply magical and so much fun. Anyone who has that little kid at heart would be happy. Everyone! I am sure about that. And me… I am in-fact a big kid ! I am a roller-coaster lover.

Picture tells a thousand words...........

Nada was on Daddy's shoulder all throughout the Parade. She has the best dad in world. Lucky girl she is.

I think I am going to send Oprah Winfrey an e-mail and propose for her to bring 100 African kids to Disneyland. Can you imagine the smile and laugh of African kids going to Disneyland ? Those are the sweetest smile and 'hearthiest' laugh, I tell ya.

At the end of the fun filling tiring day, as we turned off the hotel room lights…….. I can feel there is something melancholic about Disneyland albeit it’s delight. I wonder why.. what… and the answer laid just next to me, My Baby.

I went schooling of where Disneyland is not an unfamiliar vacation place for many of my school friends. Many had visited Disneyland even very long time ago. Their fun stories became much of a telling tale and I always envy them.

At that tender age, it is easier if you are to befriend with whom that their life experience doesn’t differ much from you, but if unexpectedly you have to cope with the vigorous ones, you just got to find ways to fit into the flock. Not wanting to be left out and at the same time you have to hold your grounds.

Now that I was able to enjoy Disneyland with my baby…, I am so grateful to Allah s.w.t for His rezeki, for the health and wealth bestow to me. Of course, also thanking current airlines system for the opportunity and making traveling affordable to larger group of people.

If I could.. I would want to bring my baby to all Disneyland in the world for she would have her own telling tale.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

That night too as I close my eyes, upon what had happened at the reception counter… I reminded myself… weather I like it or not, I will always carry my father’s name next to mine for as long as I live. And I should always offer my prayer to Allah s.w.t for him as appreciation for someone whom had brought me into this world. For the person I am right now, I know I inherited a lot of things from him too. Al-Fatihah…………...