I'm still here

It’s been long.. It’s been long!

The blog sure needs some mowing. I could see not only grass has gone wild in this pasture but cripples too has conquered many parts of it.

So many things and events had taken place for the last 5 months or so, good, bad and the in between. But let’s leave the bad aside and just cherish the good ones because seriously, there're too many good ones that the bad one just seems unseen.

In the big family, we had weddings, engagements, Raya this year which was so much better than last year’s though I was forced to do office work during the break, welcoming new family members … among many more other happy events.

Yeah, I know... the one showing fist is mine....

 At 3.45kg, Zairoul Naquib. My cousin's or more like little brother's son.

 

In my immediate family, of course Nada has the most to tell about which I just do not know where and what to start.

She really talks a lot now – Malay and English equally used. Kelantan dialect, she’s trying so hard to master. Sometimes I just can’t seem to believe what came out of her 5 year old mouth.

On  one Sunday at Ikea, she missed the boat in her queue to enter Smaland by just couple of kids in front her. I told her the next session would be at 7.30PM which really boiled her up that she had to wait for another 1 ½ hour.

In a single breath, she just needed to let the steam out, almost shouted at me :

“This all your fault. Not my fault. Why do you come here late? I am so upset with you and angry. You stay away from me. Don’t come near me!”

… o my.. I almost crawled on my knees hearing she said that.

One night, out of the blue she asked us :

“When Mommy and Daddy were children, you meet is it? Then, did Daddy ask you – will you marry me?”

... like, why would she thought about it?

We celebrated our 9^th year wedding anniversary the night before 20.08.13 at home. Only us, where I bought a Baskin Robbins cake for the tiny celebration we had. 

 

However to Nada, all cakes are for her. Hence, she wasn’t happy that the cake was not meant for her, till the extend she sobbed so badly. I didn’t want her sulking for too long and told her that the cake was indeed for her.

 

You see, she needed an event for herself to be having the cake.

She asked me : “Why do you buy cake for me ? My birthday is in January. Now not yet January”

Clever mom I am, I told her : “O… I bought you the cake because you did well in your spelling bee at school.”

She was delighted with the explanation.

The next night, that is the actual day of our Aniversary, we had steamboat at Johnny’s we called it “NADA’S SPELLING TEST EXCELLENCE CELEBRATION DINNER” instead of Anniversary Dinner. Talking about the extent parents would do to make their kid happy, huh?

 

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Of course, handmade dos that I wish not to miss the blog.

I finally fixed Baby’s OR Ary's leg!

 
 
I also managed to make this cute baby smock romper for Baby Naquib…. And of course, a pair of cloth shoes to match. Owh.. I'm in love with that boy already.

 

I now can cross the ROMPER from my list.

My husband's pyjamas

Everybody loves comfortable, loose and soft pyjamas. So is my husband. Well, he doesn't really has pyjamas. Mostly they were only tees and sarong!

 

We love the comfort of our pyjamas, most of the time we do not mind small tear or anything like that. I say small tear. Small tear ok. Nothing like what's gonna be posted here. 

 

Look at Harris's tee pj after the last laundry.

 !!!!!!!!!

Hence, I wrote a love note for him and clipped it together at the hanger. Soft warning, I would say.

My note is in red which says : Hello ! Do not wear this roti canai (paratha bread) anymore.... love, love, love, love.

 

He got the chick to reply : Lagi garing Lagi sodap (The crispier, taste better)

Eye-candy :

 Paddington Underground Station, London

Somewhere near Westminster Underground Station. At the background is the famous Big Ben, London.

Seia Sekata

I'm watching Seia Sekata SchAwal and practically crying......

aahhhh... i love weddings.

Updates

Hie.. Owh, it's been a while. Wonder if there's anyone still reading.

It has been a stressful stretch of weeks starting March for us here. My blood preasure had been escalating up extreme and down extreme as well. We finally managed to sort out our purchase of this property, though our earlier plan didn't work out it's way. 'Thanks' to the solicitor of whom, would he had taken necessary required steps.... our life is much less terrible for almost 2 months. Until now he is still frying in a dry wok! The money still hasn't come in to us.. and for us whom are salaried staffs to fork out 30% of purchase price for a landed property in Ampang .. it's very taxing!

Alhamdulillah.. after digging out all the money we had, selling all the bulu-bulu ketiak.... it's done. And now, Mek is dreaming of a renovation though SEN pun tarak!
Long been the sketch in my drafting book :

Waaaa.... ada hati nak buat attic play room untuk Nada and a sexy hanging light for double volume dining area! "A dream is a wish... your heart makes.." Let me be please, though I know my account statement is laughing at me.

I hope we could make it one day.

Other stories which I wish not pass my blog space are of course Nada's antics. Two days back, I switched channel from Disney 610 to TV3 for 8.00pm news. She complaint saying : "Alaaaahhhh... Mommy ni, I don't like this one, RAKYAT-KERAJAAN.."

I laughed hard for I'm pretty sure she didn't even know what RAKYAT and KERAJAAN means. But then, for a four year to pick up these two words among millions of words she heard on the news.. I must say, it is a 'boring' issue we've been hearing.  

I told her ... "Ya.. Mommy don't like too but Mommy must watch, if not Mommy don't know what is Big Mama doing!" :). She looked at me, puzzled - What crapt is Mommy talking?

Hehehehehe ... Kids - they say the darndest things.

I love Nada so much, but when she became a "Makcik".. I want to gobble her. You see, I accidentally broke a teapot and she came running to the kitchen scolding me like a real pro!..

"I tell you already.. Hold two hands! Like this, like this... " showing off with her two hands holding her plastic plate.

Then I said.. "Ok, you don't tell Daddy.. ya!"

She dare to say.. "No, I must tell Daddy.."

Just when Daddy opened the house door after work... It's the first thing she did!... Kaypo reporter! haish.

I got the broken teapot as a gift for my wedding and never realize what's at the bottom until it can no longer be used.

For goodness sake, I know imitation is an offense. But PIE RAT inreplacement of PYREX? Waaa.......

so inappropriate ok!

Have a nice day, peeps.

at work.. and in my mind..

I'm at work now and I miss Nada so much, I have tears in my eyes.

I wonder would she ever understand that I love her to the world, I can't imagine life without her. I constantly remind myself love to Allah s.w.t is the greatest.

She had grown up so fast these past couple of weeks.
+  She blamed Mommy for not winding up the side windscreen while driving her to school in the morning uttering : "Mommy, bectiye (bacteria) get into my nose, my eyes. Later I got flu! Quick! Wind up..."

+  She alerted Mommy : "Mommy, your facebook no more!" when the lap top changes to screen saver mode.

+  She just out of the blue : "Daddy, tak nak bawak milk pergi school" and took out the milk formula container out of her bag.

+  She again persisted : "Mommy, Nada big girl already. I don't want drink milk anymore!".
Mommy is sad. Not sure if sad because she no longer want to drink milk. She has been a big milk drinker all the while. Or sad because she thinks she is a big girl.
  
+  She had been very excited about her school trip to the zoo :
"Mommy, Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, .... then we go to the ZoooOOOoooooo"
"Mommy, eat lunch, eat lunch, eat lunch, eat lunch,.... then we go to the ZooooOOOooo.." while showing the counts on her stubby tiny fingers.
"Mommy, no snacks.. only bring water bottle to the Zoo. Kena bawa yang ada tali like Alia. Mommy boleh bayar (beli) Ben 10-watch bottle untuk Nada?"
(she thinks "Ben-10-watch" is one word !)
This morning, she woke up and asked her Daddy "Botol air Nada ada tali tak?"
Daddy : "Ada, Mommy buat semalam.."
Last night, I sew a harness to attach to her old water tumbler. That would equip her to the Zoo.
Mommy : "Nada, see.... Mommy made for you the rope for your water bottle. Do you like it?"
Nada : "Yes.." with big grin on her face.
Mommy - *happy*
Nada : "Mommy, it's not rope. It's string. Mommy say wrong. Nada say right."
Mommy - *almost cried*.. how I love this tiny monster of mine.

O Allah, May you bless upon her good health and wealth. May she be your faithful servant all her life, a good khalifah to herself and all around her. Amin.
p.s : Wonder if she's enjoying her school trip today... for she's not an animal lover.

30th January

Dearest Nada,

Four years ago, you were born at this exact moment. 30^th January 2008, 5.02am. Dawn was just about to break, we believe the name Nada in Arabic which means dew suits you well.

The four years learning you have been ups and downs for us, as much as we try to take it in the most graceful manner, there are also times we are shame to admit that we’ve been disgrace, especially Mommy.

Above all, having you and times together has never fails to make us grateful and proud parents.   

Yesterday, we had a small celebration to mark your four year old. It’s just You, Mommy, Daddy and of course Rupert the Celcom Bear.

You were given the privilege to choose your own cake and you were contemplating between a Transformer, Barbie, Princess or Ben 10 decoration. Somehow, the Barbie decorated cake was the ‘lucky’ one.

As we headed to celebrate, you constantly ‘annoyed’ us : “Today, Nada’s birthday, no Daddy’s birthday. Later!”

You asked Mommy if Bukit Nanas is Penang. Mommy knew exactly what you had in mind. Bukit Nanas looks or feels similar to you with Bukit Jambul in Penang. It reminds you of our trip and stayed in Equatorial.

Once we reached Atmosphere360 and you had your quick survey around, you wanted to check the wash room. Wash rooms somehow catch your interest, Mommy wonder why. It became a subject of  your curiosity. Indeed, washroom at Atmosphere 360 prompted many questions from you for Mommy to answer.

You were not afraid to stand close to the perimeter glass panels or even leaned against them which Mommy can’t ever do.

Putting candles on the cake, blowing them off, cutting the cake were pure joy to you, and we were delighted by just looking at you.

Last night we had a chat before your bedtime. You answered perfectly all Mommy’s questions to you.

Where did we go? – KL Tower

Where is KL Tower? – Bukit Nanas

How did we go up? – Press lift button

What did you eat most? – Prawn

How did the water at sink come out? – Wave hand at sensor

Do you like the toilet? – Yes, one button wash poo-poo, one button wash shi-shi *****

What did you see? – KLCC, Mommy’s office.

Happy 4^th birthday, Nada Firas. May Allah s.w.t bestow upon you good health and wealth. Be good. We love you.

The Birthday Dress

I first learnt smocking when I was still a kid at eleven years old during after school co-curiculum. I thank my primary school teacher Puan Zainab whom was an English teacher for the beautiful craft she introduced to me long ago. She showed us the basics of smocking. Doing the markings, tacking, hand pleating and basics embroidery stitches.

The first smock I did was conceived to a tiny dress for my cousin Shasha. Mami sew. It was yellow in color, I wish I could find the photo of it.

Since then, I have always have the love for smocking. I made few more smock dresses for girls around me and the mega project was smocking bedding set for my own wedding. It took me months! For god sake, why hadn’t I knew about the pleat machine back then. It was ALL done manually.

Though I have made few smock dresses, I actually haven’t really learn the art or science for that matter in turning a completed smock into a dress. All the while, I just hantam-kromo (recklessly), because I didn’t make the effort to find the right source for such knowledge. *Puan Zainab would be disappointed, eh?*

Only until recently, I found this magazine at Cottage Patch – Australian Smocking & Embroidery (ASE).

ASE composed four to six patterns with complete step by step guide four each project in every released issue.

I thought… craft lovers in Australia are lucky to have the magazine. For less than AUD 20, they are spoilt with so much information and fun. What we have here in Malaysia for less than RM 20?... We can have many magazines too.. Jelita, Wanita, Rias, Keluarga. I didn’t say they aren’t good for I do buy for my reads as well but they are of the similar approach. Similar sort of contents.  

We don’t have good craft magazines or I would say, we don’t have craft magazines. May be also we don’t have the market for such magazine so it wouldn’t be profitable to produce. 

Whatever it is.... with conversion and logistics, once A&E reach our shore they cost nothing less than RM 100 per issue.


Having the magazine, for the very first time, I trimmed a dress for Nada using professional pattern, not my own self-figured and it is a smocking dress!

Something sick about me, I just have to choose the complicated project though it’s my first!!!

It is Sandpiper from Issue 88 (above magazine pix)

The smocks seems simple but the dress construction drives me nuts. The front apron with curve edge, back ruffles, elastic casings and securing elastics are just demanding stuffs. Not to mention turning to right sides of sandwiched sachs and shoulder casing from thick linen is rather taxing.

The smocks

Full front dress

Back of the dress

The sachs

Back ruffles

I made three trips to nearby shop for overlock stitch service alone. (One day, I would get myself a serger!)

The pattern suggested natural linen covered button shown in the pix. However, I've changed that to little flower button. For a random person I am, I thought of splashing some red color to the top casing... but I did not! I refrained myself to do so.

Now that the dress is done, I know there are parts that I could have done better. I made mistakes here and there and of course the obvious one, IT'S THE SHOULDER STRAP AND BUTTON!! (I just realized while I'm typing this...haish!)

Wonder if I could get that fixed. umph..umph..umph.. I'll leave that for now.

Last night, we had it tried on Ms Dew. She was delighted when I told her that the dress is for her 4th birthday upcoming tomorrow. I've been making special birthday dresses since she's two.

She acted princess, with all the twirl and turn. And when Daddy asked her : "Nada, what should you tell Mommy for making you the dress?"

She bowed and said "Thank You, Mommy......" ( for that, all Mommy's hard work is paid of )

Baby A

The next time I want to bring home a baby whom is not ours, I swear I must explain to my baby girl clearly as it is.

Oh dear! I hope that doesn’t sound so bad.

My cousin, Cik Byie was admitted to Pantai Hospital last Friday for lung infection. Thinking of the chaotic to be faced by her hubby with four kids, I told myself I had to help out to take care of at least one. Not questioning of Mr Brad Pitt’s (of what Nada calls him) capability, but an honest offer wouldn’t be a harm.

So upon approval of the proposal by Mr Pitt, we fetched the youngest – Baby Amsterdam at their house and off to the hospital for a visit.

Baby A spent the whole weekend with us - shared our bed, made us laugh, also making us scratch our head in figuring out how to clean baby’s poo-poo again. Nada had been acting the BIG sister. Fairly a good one.

I told her –

“You got to pack your toys properly for you do not want Baby A to put them into his mouth and get chocked”. She obediently packed her toys the way I regularly do – The a-b-c’s properly arranged in the supposed case, the books where they were supposed to be, the small free Mc-D toys in one bag, etc-etc.

I asked her –

“Nada, can Mommy trust you to look after Baby A while he’s asleep that Mommy need to take a bath. If he cries, come knock on the door ok?” She nod at me with the look “Yes I can” and sit next to Baby A like a “watch dog”. I was about to enter the room when I heard Baby A giving tiny little sound in his sleep and Nada came running to me “ADIK NANGIS – ADIK NANGIS – ADIK NANGIS!”. Serious face that actually made Baby A awaken from his good sleep!.. Sigh. Mommy postponed shower.

Nada supervising Mommy giving Baby A warm bath while having a towel in her arm.

Nada helping Mommy to dress up Baby A while she herself was barely dressed.

Nada counting sheep prior noon nap with a hand touching Baby A to ensure he's by her side.

Nada doing "gold fish" imitating Baby A chubby cheeks.

Nada keep convincing Daddy that she could hold Baby A though Mommy quite not accepting the idea fear for Baby A would roll out her tiny lap.

Nada sharing Daddy's lap with Baby A - THIS IS A REAL SOMETHING!.. Not easy, o!

Came Sunday evening, we brought Baby A to hospital after attending a Raya Open House with arrangement for my aunt, Cik Ra to bring him home while Cik Byie was still being admitted. Mommy got to work the next day.

So when the time to depart, Nada was all sour with the idea of Baby A would not be returning home with us. She wasn’t being briefed earlier on, hence was not aware of it.

She refused to salam anyone, I had to give in by letting her sit with me at the front instead of her car seat. Not five minutes we left the hospital compound, she cried her lungs out as if the world is going to tear apart. Again, we had to give in by bringing her to McDonalds for a treat so she would cool down.

We succeeded with our quest that Nada was a happy ding-dong girl once entered the red-yellow-white eatery. ONE DRAMA QUEEN!!!

So to speak, we went home. I was cleaning in the kitchen when I heard Nada lamenting so badly not knowing the cause.

Harris told me, he saw Nada sitting on the chair with tears rolling down her cheeks. No sound. Only when he asked what happened that she burst out crying – “Arik Adam.. Arik Adam… Arik Adam…” Poor girl, she must had missed him that much.

I undressed and bathed her. Still crying that her face turned red and kept saying “Nanti Arik Adam nangis, dia nak Mommy”.

She came out of the bath room and saw Baby A’s pants. Again, with loud cry - “Arik Adam pajamas” while pointing.

I tried to soothe her. Only after some time she settled down. My cousin Rafi then asked her “Kenapa Nada nangis?”. She again had watery eyes…. Tears rolled down her cheeks. No sound. I shooshed Rafi away and carried her into the room for sleep. She saw the empty space that we placed Baby A for night sleep. Again, with loud cry – “Arik Adam sleep here…..”

So sad, okay…… The emptiness that Baby A left had taken it’s toll on her.

I couldn’t find any other words to ease her sadness that I just hugged and kissed her a million times until she fell asleep.

I was wrong, my girl was not acting big sister after all. She thought she WAS the big sister.