About school

Every time I received a telephone call from Kindicare, my mind starts to wonder the "bad" things. It happened again this morning.
It is because, they are particular and very hands-on of each child well being. The few calls I had before :

1. "Hi Yanti... this is Aunty Jeanne. I have to inform you that Nada fell off the swing during outdoor time that is about a foot high from the ground. She hit back of her head onto the soft turf ground. The aunties weren't able to catch in-time before she fell. She cried out of shock for about two minutes and we are now monitoring her. She's having lunch now and looking fine with no signs of swollen, bleeding or vomiting. Please let the Nanny knows about the fall for she could monitor her as well once we send her home after "school".
I am really sorry that this happened on our ground."
AFTERMATH : Nada was fine.

2. "Hi Yanti... this is Aunty Jeanne. Nada's left eye is a little bit red and watery. She said - it's itchy. We're putting her in a separate room with Aunty Cat to look after her."
AFTERMATH : Nada contracted conjunctivitis from Mommy that lasted for a day.

3. "Hi Yanti.. this is Aunty Shanty calling on behalf of Aunty Jeanne. Nada had fever at about 10 this morning, so we didn't allow her to the pool. She's a bit sad because of that, we ensure her there will be more swimming after today. Just before we sent her home, her temperature was 38.6 degree Celsius."
AFTERMATH : Indeed she had fever lasted for two days.

TODAY'S call/message on my voice mail was :
"Hi Yanti.. this is Aunty Jeanne, please call me back when you are free....."

I called :
"Hi Yanti... Ya.. I want to let you know, we now have vacancy in Daffodil class. As follow-up of last Saturday, parents-teacher meeting.. Nada's physical co-ordination, social interactions is fit for the class. She's also 3 yrs plus, we think we are able to move her from Baby-Buttercup class. Is it okay with you? If you permit, she'll be moved with Caleb, her best friend. In that way, she wouldn't feel alone. We'll start by gradually leading her to Daffodil, may be one hour of playing time the first few days until she's comfortable."

Mommy scratched her head and trying to sound smart : "Öh well Aunty Jeanne, if you think it's appropriate with her, I wouldn't mind... I'm just worried if she couldn't adapt...."

Aunty Jeanne : "We'll monitor on that.. we'll explain to her.. y'know may be telling her, she's a big girl that she now got to do more adventurous stuff. You could also talk to her that she'll be in a new class..."

Mommy goes to work today thinking : "My girl already has a best friend? Oh! How she grew up!"*sob*

Her first concert

14.05.11.

Dew had her first concert for the play school annual get together. She's been 'practicing' - swaying her hands from side to side and singing "splish-splash". While she could tell me what characters her friends were acting, she couldn't really tell hers. This person is the bee, this person is the bird, this person is tiger, this person is Dalmation and what not. I reckon anyhow, she would be something got to do with water.

Though the children may had practice sessions, I don't think Dew has any idea of what performance is all about. Even when I wanted to dress her up in supposed costume, she insisted of wearing pink-tuk-tuk-t-shirt to go to school. Not after all the pujuk-memujuk, she agreed to put it on.

It was a big day for Dew and so it was for me. Harris on the other hand had to attend for his exam workshop, so I was left alone to handle the little miss and preparing food for pot-luck. Ayo-cam lipas kudung Mek.

We arrived at Kindicare 5 mins after 9am (when supposed to be there before 9am!) and had to park very far down the hill. Sigh, she then not so keen to walk citing she'll be tired and sweating. This is actually daddy's task for Mommy got all cranky carrying a 14kg toddler up the hill. Looking at the arrived crowd, Dew was looking confused. She proceeded anyway to be gotten ready.

I then searched for a seat and surprisingly got to sit next to my ex-school mate. What a small world. So happy ! Many parents were excited to watch the show, some even had grandparents to attend as well. I felt awkward as I was alone, makes me wonder and huge respect for single moms when one had to brace situation like this. Sure feel, something is missing.

The whole concert is of "Snow White and the 7 Dwarfs".

Dew's class being youngest or baby class was the first to perform. And guess what, my baby had stage fright! she was just standing still sucking her finger looking at the crowd. Sucking finger is not actually in her diary. With red face almost crying........... I hold myself from not jumping on the stage and hug her. I should trust the guardians and glad I did.

I didn't manage to capture photo any better than this. She was not moving!.. and I was frozen too. I really hope the school photographer will have better ones.

Still shocked at the finale

After show, she's back to herself. All children were gifted with a watch. My girl prefers the Ben 10 rather Barbie. She's trying to persuade Caleb the Dalmation for a change.

God creates mothers as weird creature. Dew was only standing for her first concert and still I am very-very proud of her, words can't tell.

The rock-star Cloud whom froze!

Blue-green, Red, Green and Blue

Why on earth la I start this entry with above photo? No.. not trying to say I have a lot of them. Those actually belongs to Dew. We've been keeping the money since the first note she received from relatives and friends after she was born. Duit raya for three years, Ang pow for Chinese New Year and such.

While I'd open up an insurance account the first month she was born and has been contributing top ups in addition to regular monthly premium, I have never intended to put in the money she receives in the same account. I thought, the insurance account would be what I want to give to her be it little or as much. Those she receives from others is another thing all together.

But, so bad we are. We have been procrastinating to decide where they were supposed to go. Kejap-kejap unit trust, kejap-kejap asb, kejap-kejap just bank account, kejap-kejap itu, kejap-kejap ini. And for all we know three years gone, the notes still lie underneath our pillows. Pun boleh ?

Despite the bad, I also want to praise both of us. We were never tempted to use the money either for Dew's use or our own. If ever by chance I used because it was kept in my wallet or so, i'd have that voice at the back of my head - "Replace Nada's money, replace Nada's money... " Until I do so, the voice wouldn't leave me.

I really hope, whatever we are doing is the best for Dew.

Tonight, while I was putting her to sleep... we cuddled. As usual, she would play with my eye lashes with her tiny fingers.

And out sudden she uttered... "Like Mommy, like Daddy...." in a soft voice.

I asked her back... "Nada like Mommy, Nada like Daddy?... "

She nod and I know she meant what she said...to be translated as -love-. I wanted to cry.

This girl so deserves the best from us.

Her first face painting - had on 09.04.11 during friend from play school birthday party. She was the butterfly girl.

p.s - I think I will make a quiet sneak and sleep next to her tonite.

My day today

Not a happy day for me today when all days along the week had been sweet ones. I have what I can say a very regular menstrual cycle. 28 days. That's it. Not a month missed since the first, of course exclusion to pregnancy. It's so timely almost like bullet train in Japan during normal days. Rarely, early or late is just one day.

However, I was already late for 3 days so was very sure that I gotten pregnant. I never bothered to buy pregnancy testing kit because I know I don't need it.

I started making survey which hospital to attend for an O&G. In my mind.. I shouldn't go to Seremban again to deliver. I was hoping too for a Muslim female and kinda decided which hospital will be my choice.

Sure, appointment was already made Tuesday next week. By then I could inform the O&G, I'm close to 4 weeks 'so' pregnant.

I hampered my beau that I want a book "Handmade Beginnings" by Anna Maria Horner. The book featured 24 sewing projects that could be done to welcome the little one. I used to be wanting to buy branded baby bedding set and more and more baby stuffs, but now.. I just want to do as many possible myself. Because... I very much realized handmade are special no matter how 'shoddy' the works could be as long as bunch of love is put into.

Allah is the All-Mighty. Whatever I thought of the whole week came to an end today. No I'm not pregnant. How my heart break. I seems not able to believe... 7 days late and not pregnant? Allah has been kind to me. He bestows most of what I ask for.. I shall continue to pray to Him for this one wish..............

I made these for my niece on Harris's side, Mia.

The 2011 Earth Hour Pinafore with sun hat

and undies too.

Why such a name? It was completed exactly in time for 2011 Earth Hour after 3 hours doing.

p.s ... the book surely can enlighten me up a bit for now.

A piece of paper

There are few doa (prayers) that I usually recite before studying. I’ve made myself familiarize and memorize with the same prayers since schooling time, continued to during uni days and even now I still do.

Back then.. should be when I was in Form 3, I had the prayers written on a piece of paper and pulled it out every time to refer for reciting.

Do you believe me if I say I still have that same piece of paper? It’s been freaking 21 years !

Should it be a human born in Malaysia – she’s already entitled to vote!

This is how it turned out to be.

One piece of paper has become two, but I still have both! The pencil written prayer is so blur and at certain phrases it’s totally erased.

Though I already have the prayers closed at heart, I don’t want to loose the written one. So, just recently I took the initiative to rewrite with a ball point pen on both sides of two pieces of small hard cards. Then I kept them in my wallet.

I wonder how long will I keep those, may be I could pass to Nada when the time comes!

Ayat drama – “Nada, Mommy tak punya wang ringgit berkepuk-kepuk, geran tanah setebal buku telefon yang nak diturunkan bagi kesenangan Nada. Yang Mommy ada…. Nada ambillah dua keeping kad ni. Mommy tuliskan dengan bacaan-bacaan doa untuk menuntut ilmu. Walau pun tulisan jawi Mommy tak cantik.. Mommy rasa masih jelas untuk dibaca. Belajar rajin-rajin Nak…” hehehehehe.

Now, what do I do with that old piece of paper? I sort of decided that I just have to discard it in certain appropriate manner since it contained good words.

But then again, came another person who is always sentimental about oldies… and that’s my beau! He said.. "Just keep it"

I’ve been wanting to let the paper go, now I just can’t!

So, I made a conclusion…. I placed it in between pages of a book.

Safe and Sound. Someday, somewhere, for sure somebody will take a flip of the book and find the paper. Stories then could be unfurl again.

Appealing piece of paper it is. Very old, full of memories for it also contain a tiny secret… On the other page of the paper, it’s actually a letter written by my cousin to my school friend. I am not sure how the letter later was in my possession. I don’t think I stole it!

Let’s take a sneak peak of the letter :

Nama pengirim surat tidak ditunjukkan sepenuhnya atas sebab-sebab teknikal dan prinsip-prinsip kewartawanan.

A-hah! Looks like somebody own somebody kfc! If I still remember clearly, that somebody lost a chess game to somebody, hence the deal.

Hmmmmm….. Just a piece of paper, so many yarns folded. J That was when snail mail is the mode of communication. How time flies.

Priceless life experience

Mr Tan Hock Ann is one of Biology teachers in TKC. He taught me and still is currently. So special he is, he always carries his DSLR and takes photographs. Recently, it is a hit in FB among my school friends that he takes the effort to scan and upload photos of many of us during our alma matter.

I just browsed the album and ghee.. i so feel to wanna jump into time machine and return to the past. We had so much fun in school ! Definitely one of best phase of my life.

Back then in TKC, there were series of performance days, sports, competitions, parties ... I wonder when we actually spent time studying.

We have.. if I can name few.. 'Freshie' Concert for Form 1, English Drama Competition, Malay Drama Competition, Dancing Competition, Annual Dinner Performance, Teacher's Day Performance, House Party, Class Party, OGA Get-together, Band Competition, Mini Orchestra Competition, Inter-house of all kind of sports (of cause), Cadet competition, Debate competition,... ahhh so many more.

We learnt Music until Form 3. It was just blowing recorder and singing for 40 minutes. Songs like The Sounds of Music, Bear Necessities, Tie a Yellow Ribbon Round the Old Oak Tree, The Autumn Leaves, Supercalifragalistic Expialidocious (not sure about the spelling), Flipper..

oh! happy stuff.

Prep class for us was only at night, not until I was in Form 4 that afternoon prep class was introduced. We dragged our feet to go for afternoon prep because we were so used to having our own lay back time. However, 5.30pm onwards.. we were jumping around on the field, courts, cycling, roller blading or simply watching TV.

Again,... it's true, we don't spend much time studying unlike the thought of many people has about TKCians.

God's gift

Alhamdulillah.. Allah s.w.t meminjamkan saya sedikit kepandaian dalam hal-hal kraf tangan. Saya seronok dengan kelebihan ini.

Setiap daripada kita sudah tentu dikurniakanNya kelebihan dalam kita sedar atau tidak.

Suami saya sangat arif menzahirkan pemetaan.

Look at how he drew out a map to Bagan Lalang from more than six corners of Selangor state for his office get-together seafood dinner.

He ain't need GPS !.. I tell you