My 1st Cookie Monster

So, who was the most excited when she was being presented with a cake and a candle lighted up on it??

Yes, Eva! :)





She even attempted to blow the candle off. Hehe. And almost got it on her face.





And even clapped her hands along to the usual 'Happy Birthday' jingle!



Those hands help to protect the overly excited baby from injuring either herself or the cake. :p

A Cause For Celebration

Hey, take a look on your right!

Yes! Lilypie! Lilypie shows today is Eva's 1st birthday. Yay! I can't wait for the celebration this Sunday! :)

Happy Birthday, Sweetie Pie! *hugs and kisses, muaks*

On a different note altogether, my reflection assignment is going at 1 sentence per half an hour. Isn't that amazingly slow? I've not even achieved my first 500 words. To be exact, I've got only 223 words. All because I'm in a celebration mood. Celebrate NY, celebrate my parents' return home from Holy Land and yay, celebrate my girl's hatchday with my loved ones. :):)

I'm Slooooowwww

I've switched on and off my laptop for 5 times already since 11 this morning. But, I still am not inspired on what to write for my reflection assignment.

Haiz. This is going on too slow.

:)

Dad called me this afternoon to confirm with me details of their flight home. But I felt like I'm talking to Mom instead of my Dad. That's because even if Dad was on the phone with me, Mom was directing him the questions to ask me:

1) Eva walked already? (To which the answer is still No).
2) Is everyone well at home?
3) Did the kids recite the Qur'an?

And while she's rattling off the questions, Dad added that we might need 2 cars when we fetch them from the airport as my car alone will not be able accomodate 2 huge luggages. My Mom immediately stop talking and shouted, "No! No! 1 car is enough!"

I think I still can hear her rattling off somemore questions to me through Dad when I disconnected the line after saying goodbye to my father.

Haha. That's my Mom. I really miss her annoying ways sometimes.

2 Down 4 More To Go

Done with a 32-page assignment. Next up is a 2000 words reflective essay. Sounds easy huh!? Hope it is, man. I'm kind of behind time, I think.

One thing for sure, I'm definitely not going to enjoy my 2 weeks leave.

Countdown

7 more days before Eva turns 1.

8 more days before my parents come home from Hajj.

And why didn't I include my assignments in my countdown list??

Weekend You Better Not Come

My weekend was horrible. I waited so long before my off day on Sunday. To be precise, I slogged for 10 days before I finally had my off day. By the time, Sunday came, I was aching all over. Still am. Michelle would have call it, 'The 30 year old syndrome'.

Oh so you thought I would have enjoyed my weekend. But in reality, I was slogging away doing one of my 2 assignments due very very early January 2009.

At lunch, I took a breather and went to a wedding. Mom's friend was the host. They were our old neighbours in Marsiling. Her daughter got hitched. But I hate to go weddings if I didn't get to see the bride and groom. Well, the bride at least. The Mak Andam forgot to bring along the groom's tanjak so the couple was held up from making their appearance. Sucks. We left for home but not without a throbbing headache that lasted for the remaining of my Sunday.

Walk of Fame

Ha! My baby can stand unsupervised. At times, she'll also stand on her own from a sitting position, albiet with much difficulties.

Earlier, she pleasantly surprised me when she took her first 1 step while in a standing position before tumbling to the floor.

:)

Ana Said My Eva Might Not Be Linguistically Intelligent

I often hear other Mummies tell stories of how their babies get excited if they were read to.

My Eva? She'll squirm away everytime I try to read to her. Each time that happens, I get very worried. Torn between pulling her legs, head, eyes and ears to focus on the book and listen to me read to her or just to let her crawl (quickly to something more attractive than those books I'm reading) away, I sometimes wonder whether she has my Hubby's lack of book-wormy trait.

Probably, I'm destined to have to find other talent of hers if she's really not going to be academically inclined.

I guess I'm a big worrier. Just like any Mummy, I think.

But something happened last night. Something that made me smiled. She paid a lot of attention when I showed her this.

Tired Is The Word

Heh.

My sister came home from the States today at 06000 hrs. I think she's still jetlag coz she's sleeping since God-knows-what-time and her luggages are all over our living room.

The Inspiration Comes From Nigella Express

I was on the way home from class when Amal sms'ed me and asked me to buy pancake mix and blueberries. She added that she wanted to try something that she watched on Nigella Express.

When I got home with the stuff she asked for, she started her little 'project' in the kitchen.

My gosh. What can I say? Those pancakes, lathered with blueberry syrup were simply yummy.

Hmmm. I wonder whether she, my own Nigella, will make some more today...

A Reason To Smile

:) Mom and Dad called yesterday night and they called twice!

Mom called the first time at 1910 hrs and then at 2330 hrs, she called again and said that Dad wanted to speak to us.

They are safe and sound; and have completed the Hajj rituals. They should be making their way to Makkah now for Tawaf.

Hee. I think the only ones who were very excited when they called home are my brother and me.

A Day So Significant To Me

We wish you Salam Aidiladha. :)

Our 2nd Year Wedding Anniversary

From just the 2 of us,


Now we are 3,


It has been 2 years. In between the ups and downs, the love still remain strong for each other.

Documentary

I cried while watching the documentary, 'Revealed: The Hajj' on Discovery Channel this morning. I guess I miss my parents too much.

On the other hand, Abang and Amal get so excited whenever the house phone rings and were disappointed when they realised it's neither my parents nor Ana who's calling. Abang, too keeps on asking me whether he can make a call to our parents. I had to say, 'No' although deep in my heart, I myself want to hear their voices. I was reminded by my aunty not to disturb their ibadah.

Oh Allah, keep my loved ones safe.

My Family, My Love

It's been 3 days since my parents left for Saudi Arabia. For the past few days, Ana has been doing all the consoling and comforting for my brother, who's too attached to my Mom and obviously missing her so much after she left for Haj.

Today, in the wee morning, Ana left to the States for a work trip. I know she didn't want to go initially when she was informed of it, as she is aware that she had to babysit the children while my parents are away but I encouraged her to go. Opportunities like this don't come easy and I hate it if she stays behind just because she had to take care of the kids and my baby. We made prior arrangements for Amal to stay at home with the Helper on days that I'm not at home.

So, this morning at 0215 hrs, she left but not without a note.

"Dear Family,

I am off to the airport now. Please take good care of yourselves while I'm away.

ABANG - Please remember to behave well ok. Do solat on time.

BABY - Be a good girl and take care of Abang. Do not quarrel too much.

Please share the use of my laptop. :)

I love you all! Will see you 13th Dec ok... :) Then we shall go jalan-jalan.

Angah will call home once I have reached my destination. Enjoy your Ice Cream Festival!!

I WILL MISS YOU ALL!"

And it's signed off with her lipstick stain. Isn't that touching!? Makes me wanna cry even more.

I've Started The Ball Rolling

With that email clicked 'Send', I've completed 1 out of my 6 assignments. Yes, people!! I have 6 assignments to complete and it has been only 2 weeks of my first semester. Not only that, I have 4 articles to read for each tutorial, that will be 1 tutorial every week and the obligatory participation in every class attended.

Sometimes, I wonder why I accepted the scholarship to do this. I can't even manage my work and family. Now, I've to struggle with school. *haiz* I wonder whether I can complete my Masters under 2 years. I hope I'll survive.

I will survive.

I just have to stop procastinating and have tad a bit of discipline. Ok, maybe a lot of discipline and oh ya...learn to be a juggler.

To The Faithful Departed

Mom and Dad have left to the Holy land to perform their Haj and I'm left behind with larger than life responsibilities.

I hope they'll be safe there. Insyaallah. Allahualam, I love them so much.

*sob*